Processing Architecture Patents (Class 712/1)
  • Patent number: 8261085
    Abstract: According to some implementations methods, apparatus and systems are provided involving the use of processors having at least one core with a security component, the security component adapted to read and verify data within data blocks stored in a L1 instruction cache memory and to allow the execution of data block instructions in the core only upon the instructions being verified by the use of a cryptographic algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Media Patents, S.L.
    Inventor: Álvaro Fernández Gutiérrez
  • Patent number: 8255919
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that receives a function call at an application program interface. The method selects a first processor of a plurality of processors to execute the function call. The method further executes a first transmit function associated with a bus coupled to the first processor. The first transmit function includes a function parameter associated with the function call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Qualcomm Atheros, Inc.
    Inventors: Harlan T. Beverly, Kumar Gala, Charles A. Musta
  • Patent number: 8250656
    Abstract: Digital processor architecture is characterized by processor's instruction set and registers. If architecture is fixed and known to software developers the viruses may be created to harm computers. Invented processor architecture protects against viruses by modifying of association between instruction set coding and processor's functions. Additionally, invented architecture allows to exclude processor's parts associated with unused by program instructions and exclude registers. Exclusion of processor's parts unused by program makes processor smaller and faster in comparison with processor containing all blocks. Developed architecture also allows to exclude unused portions of instructions from instruction's format resulting in smaller memory size required for the same program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Inventor: Mikhail Y. Vlasov
  • Patent number: 8234416
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to couple to a universal serial bus (USB) 3.0 connector. The apparatus includes a management controller configured to couple to the USB 3.0 connector. The management controller is configured to detect from behavior on the D+ and D? pins of the USB 3.0 connector whether a device plugged into the USB 3.0 connector is a conventional USB 3.0 device or an optical USB device, where the optical USB device employs one of the D+ and D? pins of the USB 3.0 connector to transmit a data signal and the other to transmit a clock signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: VIA Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jiin Lai
  • Patent number: 8233480
    Abstract: A network clustering facility is described. The network clustering facility receives a message having a location identification that identifies a destination for the message and comprises at least two components, selects a network node identified by the components of the location identification, determines whether a link exists to the selected network node, and identifies a best link to the selected network node. The network clustering facility comprises a clustering subsystem, an advertising subsystem, and a routing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: CoCo Communications Corp.
    Inventors: Peter D. Mark, Jeremy Bruestle, Frank Laub
  • Publication number: 20120159118
    Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a lower integrated circuit (IC) package structure for a package-on-package (PoP) assembly. The lower IC package structure includes an interposer having pads to mate with terminals of an upper IC package. An encapsulant material is disposed in the lower IC package, and this encapsulant may be disposed proximate one or more IC die. An upper IC package may be coupled with the lower IC package to form a PoP assembly. Such a PoP assembly may be disposed on a mainboard or other circuit board, and may form part of a computing system. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Shaw Fong Wong, Wei Keat Loh, Kang Eu Ong, Au Seong Wong
  • Publication number: 20120159119
    Abstract: Described embodiments relate to methods, systems and computer readable medium for developing a system architecture. Resources constraints are defined, where each resource constraint corresponds to a maximum number of a each kind of resources available to construct the system architecture. Constraint values for each of at least three optimization parameters are defined, which includes a final optimization parameter. A design space is defined as a plurality of vectors representing different combinations of a number of each kind of resource available to construct the system architecture. For each of the plurality of optimization parameters, a priority factor function is defined. A plurality of satisfying sets of vectors is determined for each of the optimization parameters except for the final optimization parameter. A set of vectors is determined based on an intersection of the plurality of satisfying sets of vectors for the optimization parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Anirban Sengupta, Reza Sedaghat
  • Patent number: 8195546
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer products are provided for risk evaluation. A computer may assign a risk to an object which has an object estimation-value. The computer may also receive a risk estimation-value for the risk. The computer may re-calculate the object estimation-value based on the risk estimation-value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Marcus Wefers, Thomas Fleckenstein, Andreas Krecht
  • Patent number: 8185896
    Abstract: A method is provided for implementing a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. In order to implement a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture, a plurality of processors are coupled to one another to create a plurality of processor books. The plurality of processor books are coupled together to create a plurality of supernodes. Then, the plurality of supernodes are coupled together to create the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. Data is then transmitted from one processor to another within the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture based on an addressing scheme that specifies at least a supernode and a processor book associated with a target processor to which the data is to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana B. Arimilli, Ravi K. Arimilli, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Edward J. Seminaro, William E. Speight
  • Publication number: 20120117357
    Abstract: An energy tile processor in which an internal structure of a single processor is divided into a part for supplying instructions and another part for executing the instructions in order for operating voltages and operating frequencies to be supplied independently. The processor includes an instruction supply unit storing instructions and issuing instructions to be executed, a first execution unit executing an integer operation and a memory operation according to an operation type of the instruction issued by the instruction supply unit, and a second execution unit executing a floating point operation according to an operation type of the instruction issued by the instruction supply unit. The instruction supply unit, the first execution unit, and the second execution unit are driven at operating voltages and operating frequencies which are independently controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventor: Young-Su Kwon
  • Patent number: 8176145
    Abstract: A system architecture for providing remote access to insurance applications from a remote location is provided, including: a presentation layer located at the remote location that provides tools for navigating within one of the insurance applications and executing business transactions, wherein the presentation layer is based on web browser technology; an application layer that enforces predetermined rules of business on commands and transactions input from the remote location; a data access layer that manages physical storage of data relating to the insurance applications in databases and provides the application layer with access to application data; and a distributed technical layer separating a presentation logic of the presentation layer from an application logic of the application layer, wherein the distributed technical layer is configured to coordinate an execution of the insurance applications on one or more different platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: The Travelers Indemnity Company
    Inventors: Mark J. Stender, Ruth B. Terray, Donald White, Linda Hirning, Eric Neely, Charlene G. Woronowicz
  • Patent number: 8175015
    Abstract: A media access control (MAC) processor includes a programmable controller and a memory coupled to the programmable controller to store machine readable instructions for implementing MAC functions corresponding to data received by a communication device. A hardware processor is coupled to the programmable controller. The hardware processor includes a processing engine configured to implement MAC functions on the data received by the communication device. The hardware processor additionally includes a context memory coupled to the processing engine to store state information of the processing engine corresponding to one or more contexts, and context switch logic coupled to the processing to determine when the processing engine should switch contexts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Chowdhuri, Srikanth Shubhakoti, Vinod Ananth, Hongyu Xie, Shui Cheong Lee
  • Patent number: 8149234
    Abstract: A system is presented that is configured to reduce power consumption when performing processing tasks. The system includes a first processing entity capable of performing a set of operations, and a second processing entity configured to consume less power than the first processing entity and capable of performing a subset of operations that is part of the set of operations. During system operation, the second processing entity is configured to perform the subset of operations instead of the first processing entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
    Inventors: Hassane S. Azar, Franck R. Diard, Amit Parikh, Xun Wang
  • Patent number: 8140731
    Abstract: A system is provided for implementing a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. In order to implement a multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture, a plurality of processors are coupled to one another to create a plurality of processor books. The plurality of processor books are coupled together to create a plurality of supernodes. Then, the plurality of supernodes are coupled together to create the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture. Data is then transmitted from one processor to another within the multi-tiered full-graph interconnect architecture based on an addressing scheme that specifies at least a supernode and a processor book associated with a target processor to which the data is to be transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana B. Arimilli, Ravi K. Arimilli, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Edward J. Seminaro, William E. Speight
  • Patent number: 8122230
    Abstract: Embodiments of an invention for using a processor identification instruction to provide multi-level processor topology information are disclosed. In one embodiment, a processor includes decode logic and control logic. The decode logic is to receive an identification instruction having an associated topological level value. The control logic is to provide, in response to the decode logic receiving the identification instruction, processor identification information corresponding to the associated topological level value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Leena K. Puthiyedath, James B. Crossland, Martin G. Dixon, John G. Holm, Raicsh Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 8122156
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing operation command in a computer that has a display and a host which includes a first display processing unit for local displaying and a second display processing unit for remote displaying. The operation command is from a remote data processing terminal. The method includes: receiving a first operation command from the data processing terminal, the first operation command being a power-on command; performing power-on of the computer, shielding the first display processing unit and loading only a driver of the second display processing unit according to first operation command; receiving a second operation command from the data processing terminal, the second operation command being not a power-on command; executing the second operation command to obtain operation results, the operation results being image data processed by the second display processing unit, and sending the operation results to the remote data processing terminal, for remote displaying.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
    Inventors: Yiqiang Yan, Shaoping Peng, Bo Liu, Xiaohua Jiang, Chengkun Sun
  • Patent number: 8122269
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and design structures for providing power-regulated multi-core processing. The method includes determining a configuration of processing cores for optimal power consumption. The configuration of processing cores for optimal power consumption comprises a managing core and zero or more active processing cores wherein the active processing cores are selected from one or more available processing cores operatively coupled to the managing core. The managing core receives processing requests and processes them by dynamically retaining or distributing power to the configuration of processing cores. The managing core presents an appearance of a single core to an electronic system comprising the processing cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Richard Houlihan, Dilton Monroe McGowan, II
  • Patent number: 8117351
    Abstract: Subject matter disclosed herein relates to techniques involving transitioning serial data into a serial parallel interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paolo Mangalindan
  • Patent number: 8108846
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for performing scalar operations using a SIMD data parallel execution unit. With the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments, scalar operations in application code are identified that may be executed using vector operations in a SIMD data parallel execution unit. The scalar operations are converted, such as by a static or dynamic compiler, into one or more vector load instructions and one or more vector computation instructions. In addition, control words may be generated to adjust the alignment of the scalar values for the scalar operation within the vector registers to which these scalar values are loaded using the vector load instructions. The alignment amounts for adjusting the scalar values within the vector registers may be statically or dynamically determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Michael K. Gschwind
  • Patent number: 8099533
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing system based on a multithreaded operating system. The data processing system comprises at least one processor (PROC) for processing data based on multiple threads, at least one controller unit (CU) for controlling the communication between said at least one processor (PROC) and an external peripheral device (PD) connected to said at least one controller unit (CU). Said at least one controller unit (CU) comprises at least one buffer memory (BM) for buffering data from said peripheral device (PD) connected to said at least one controller unit (CU), and at least one memory managing unit (MMU) for managing the access to said at least one buffer memory (BM) by mapping said at least one buffer memory (BM) into N banks (C0-C3) each with a dedicated prefetch register (Addr.0-Addr.3). At least one of said multiple threads (T0-T3) is mapped to one of said N banks (C0-C3) and its dedicated prefetch register (Addr.0-Addr.3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: NXP B.V.
    Inventors: Chee Yu Ng, Nitin Satishchandra Kabra
  • Publication number: 20120005456
    Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for a scalable quantum processor architecture. A quantum processor is locally programmable by providing a memory register with a signal embodying device control parameter(s), converting the signal to an analog signal; and administering the analog signal to one or more programmable devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: D-WAVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Berkley, Paul I. Bunyk, Geordie Rose
  • Publication number: 20110320766
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is described herein for coupling a processor core of a first type with a co-designed core of a second type. Execution of program code on the first core is monitored and hot sections of the program code are identified. Those hot sections are optimize for execution on the co-designed core, such that upon subsequently encountering those hot sections, the optimized hot sections are executed on the co-designed core. When the co-designed core is executing optimized hot code, the first processor core may be in a low-power state to save power or executing other code in parallel. Furthermore, multiple threads of cold code may be pipelined on the first core, while multiple threads of hot code are pipeline on the co-designed core to achieve maximum performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Youfeng Wu, Shiliang Hu, Edson Borin, Cheng C. Wang, Mauricio Breternitz, JR., Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 8063909
    Abstract: Intermediate target(s) are utilized in connection with computer graphics in a computer system. In various embodiments, intermediate memory buffers in video memory are utilized to allow serialized programs from graphics APIs to support algorithms that exceed the instruction limits of procedural shaders for single programs. The intermediate buffers may also allow sharing of data between programs for other purposes as well, and are atomically accessible. The size of the buffers, i.e., the amount of data stored in the intermediate targets, can be variably set for a varying amount of resolution with respect to the graphics data. In this regard, a single program generates intermediate data, which can then be used, and re-used, by an extension of the same program and/or any number of other programs any number of times, enabling considerable flexibility and complexity of shading programs, while maintaining the speed of modern graphics chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Michele B Boland, Charles N Boyd, Anantha R Kancherla
  • Patent number: 8065356
    Abstract: A programmable element for data processing comprises a crosspoint switch (318), a mathematical operation module (320), and a plurality of data hold modules (604,606). Each of the data hold modules (604,606) receives data from the crosspoint switch (318) and communicates the data to an input of the mathematical operation module (320) such that data arrives at the inputs of the mathematical operation module (320) substantially simultaneously. A first data hold module (604) communicates a first data valid signal to a second data hold module (606) upon receipt of first valid data, and the second data hold module communicates a second data valid signal to the first data hold module upon receipt of second valid data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: L3 Communications Integrated Systems, L.P.
    Inventors: Jerry William Yancey, Yea Zong Kuo
  • Patent number: 8065536
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing system comprising both a high performance computing sub-system having typical high power consumption and a low performance subsystem requiring less power. The data processing system acts as a single computing device by moving the execution of software from the low performance subsystem to the high performance subsystem when high computing power is needed and vice versa when low computing performance is sufficient, allowing in the latter case to put the high performance subsystem into a power saving state. The invention relates also to related algorithms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Cupp Computing AS
    Inventor: Omar Nathaniel Ely
  • Publication number: 20110271126
    Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided comprising first processing circuitry, second processing circuitry and shared processing circuitry. The first processing circuitry and second processing circuitry are configured to operate in different first and second power domains respectively and the shared processing circuitry is configured to operate in a shared power domain. The data processing apparatus forms a uni-processing environment for executing a single instruction stream in which either the first processing circuitry and the shared processing circuitry operate together to execute the instruction stream or the second processing circuitry and the shared processing circuitry operate together to execute the single instruction stream. Execution flow transfer circuitry is provided for transferring at least one bit of processing-state restoration information between the two hybrid processing units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: ARM Limited
    Inventor: Stephen John Hill
  • Patent number: 8041933
    Abstract: A system for selectively enabling a microprocessor-based system is disclosed. State information that describes the operating conditions or circumstances under which a user intends to operate the system is obtained. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a valid hash value is determined, preferably based on the state information and preferably by locating the valid hash value within a table of valid hash values indexed by the state information. Candidate authorization information is obtained from the user, and a candidate hash value is generated by applying a hashing algorithm to the candidate authorization information, the state information, or a combination of the candidate authorization information and state information. The candidate hash value and the valid hash value are then compared, and the microprocessor-based system is enabled if the candidate hash value matches the valid hash value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 8010953
    Abstract: Performing scalar operations using a SIMD data parallel execution unit is provided. With the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments, scalar operations in application code are identified that may be executed using vector operations in a SIMD data parallel execution unit. The scalar operations are converted, such as by a static or dynamic compiler, into one or more vector load instructions and one or more vector computation instructions. In addition, control words may be generated to adjust the alignment of the scalar values for the scalar operation within the vector registers to which these scalar values are loaded using the vector load instructions. The alignment amounts for adjusting the scalar values within the vector registers may be statically or dynamically determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Michael K. Gschwind
  • Patent number: 7996617
    Abstract: A multithreaded clustered microarchitecture with dynamic back-end assignment is presented. A processing system may include a plurality of instruction caches and front-end units each to process an individual thread from a corresponding one of the instruction caches, a plurality of back-end units, and an interconnect network to couple the front-end and back-end units. A method may include measuring a performance metric of a back-end unit, comparing the measurement to a first value, and reassigning, or not, the back-end unit according to the comparison. Computer systems according to embodiments of the invention may include: a random access memory; a system bus; and a processor having a plurality of instruction caches, a plurality of front-end units each to process an individual thread from a corresponding one of the instruction caches; a plurality of back-end units; and an interconnect network coupled to the plurality of front-end units and the plurality of back-end units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Fernando Latorre, Jose Gonzalez, Antonio Gonzalez
  • Patent number: 7979673
    Abstract: A processor is adapted for performing a QR-decomposition. The processor has a program memory, a program controller, connected to the program memory to receive program instructions, and at least one processing unit. The processing unit includes a CORDIC calculation block, and has a distributed memory structure, with separate memory blocks for storing respective parameter values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Altera Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Fitton
  • Patent number: 7970961
    Abstract: A distributed direct memory access (DMA) method, apparatus, and system is provided within a system on chip (SOC). DMA controller units are distributed to various functional modules desiring direct memory access. The functional modules interface to a systems bus over which the direct memory access occurs. A global buffer memory, to which the direct memory access is desired, is coupled to the system bus. Bus arbitrators are utilized to arbitrate which functional modules have access to the system bus to perform the direct memory access. Once a functional module is selected by the bus arbitrator to have access to the system bus, it can establish a DMA routine with the global buffer memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Kumar Ganapathy, Ruban Kanapathippillai, Saurin Shah, George Moussa, Earle F. Philhower, III, Ruchir Shah
  • Patent number: 7962760
    Abstract: A system for selectively enabling a microprocessor-based system is disclosed. State information that describes the operating conditions or circumstances under which a user intends to operate the system is obtained. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a valid hash value is determined, preferably based on the state information and preferably by locating the valid hash value within a table of valid hash values indexed by the state information. Candidate authorization information is obtained from the user, and a candidate hash value is generated by applying a hashing algorithm to the candidate authorization information, the state information, or a combination of the candidate authorization information and state information. The candidate hash value and the valid hash value are then compared, and the microprocessor-based system is enabled if the candidate hash value matches the valid hash value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, W. Daniel Hillis
  • Patent number: 7953912
    Abstract: A method of guided attachment of hardware accelerators to slots of a computing system includes dividing a first group of hardware accelerators into a plurality of priority classes, dividing a first group of slots of the computing system into a plurality of hierarchical tiers, and attaching each hardware accelerator of the first group of hardware accelerators to a slot matched to the hardware accelerators based on comparison of a priority class of the hardware accelerator and a hierarchical tier of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rajaram B. Krishnamurthy, Hong Deng, Tjomas A. Gregg, John P. Rankin
  • Patent number: 7949853
    Abstract: A processor for processing matrix data. The processor includes M independent vector register files which are adapted to collectively store a matrix of L data elements. Each data element has B binary bits. The matrix has N rows and M columns, and L=N*M. Each column has K subcolumns. N?2, M?2, K?2, and B?1. Each row and each subcolumn is addressable. The processor does not duplicatively store the L data elements. The matrix includes a set of arrays such that each array is a row or subcolumn of the matrix. The processor may execute an instruction that performs an operation on a first array of the set of arrays, such that the operation is performed with selectivity with respect to the data elements of the first array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Peter A. Sandon, R. Michael P. West
  • Patent number: 7948496
    Abstract: A programmable processor and method for improving the performance of processors by expanding at least two source operands, or a source and a result operand, to a width greater than the width of either the general purpose register or the data path width. The present invention provides operands which are substantially larger than the data path width of the processor by using the contents of a general purpose register to specify a memory address at which a plurality of data path widths of data can be read or written, as well as the size and shape of the operand. In addition, several instructions and apparatus for implementing these instructions are described which obtain performance advantages if the operands are not limited to the width and accessible number of general purpose registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hansen, John Moussouris, Alexia Massalin
  • Patent number: 7934031
    Abstract: An asynchronous logic family of circuits which communicate on delay-insensitive flow-controlled channels with 4-phase handshakes and 1 of N encoding, compute output data directly from input data using domino logic, and use the state-holding ability of the domino logic to implement pipelining without additional latches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Andrew M. Lines, Alain J. Martin, Uri Cummings
  • Patent number: 7934113
    Abstract: A digital circuit may have at least two asynchronous clock domains with a controller responsive to a first domain clock signal and a target responsive to a second domain clock signal. A first domain control signal pulse is generated in response to the first domain clock signal for controlling the target. Each assertion the first domain control signal pulse is detected and used to form a second domain control signal pulse synchronized to the second domain clock signal. The target is controlled using the second domain control signal pulse. If the target is a clear-on-read register, contents of the clear-on-read register are latched in a feedback register in response to the first domain control signal pulse and provided to the controller. Each bit of the clear-on-read register is reset in response to the second domain control signal pulse only if the corresponding latched content of each bit in the feedback register is a logical one.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary Franklin Chard, Yilun Wang, T-Pinn Ronnie Koh
  • Patent number: 7932911
    Abstract: A programmable processor and method for improving the performance of processors by expanding at least two source operands, or a source and a result operand, to a width greater than the width of either the general purpose register or the data path width. The present invention provides operands which are substantially larger than the data path width of the processor by using the contents of a general purpose register to specify a memory address at which a plurality of data path widths of data can be read or written, as well as the size and shape of the operand. In addition, several instructions and apparatus for implementing these instructions are described which obtain performance advantages if the operands are not limited to the width and accessible number of general purpose registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hansen, John Moussouris, Alexia Massalin
  • Patent number: 7932910
    Abstract: A programmable processor and method for improving the performance of processors by expanding at least two source operands, or a source and a result operand, to a width greater than the width of either the general purpose register or the data path width. The present invention provides operands which are substantially larger than the data path width of the processor by using the contents of a general purpose register to specify a memory address at which a plurality of data path widths of data can be read or written, as well as the size and shape of the operand. In addition, several instructions and apparatus for implementing these instructions are described which obtain performance advantages if the operands are not limited to the width and accessible number of general purpose registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hansen, John Moussouris, Alexia Massalin
  • Patent number: 7925900
    Abstract: An apparatus and method provide power to perform functions on a computing device. In one example, the apparatus contains multiple processors that may operate at different power levels to consume different amounts of power. Also, any of the multiple processors may perform different functions. For example, one processor may be a low power processor that may control or operate at least one peripheral device to perform a low capacity function. Control may also switch from the low power processor to a high capacity processor. In one example, the high capacity processor controls the low power processor and further controls the at least one peripheral device through the lower power processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory H. Parks, Erik Michael Geidl, Andrew John Fuller, Troy Scott Jones
  • Patent number: 7921188
    Abstract: A computer system is described having a plurality of resources which includes a plurality of processors, a distributed point-to-point transmission infrastructure for interconnecting the plurality of processors, and a partitioning processor for configuring the plurality of resources into at least one partition. Each partition comprises a subset of the plurality of resources. The partitioning processor is operable to configure the resources by enabling at least one link between at least one of the plurality of processors and at least one other one of the plurality of processors according to a previously specified partitioning schema. The link(s) so enabled corresponds to a portion of the point-to-point transmission infrastructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Newisys, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard R. Oehler, William G. Kulpa
  • Publication number: 20110060780
    Abstract: Quantum annealing may include applying and gradually removing disorder terms to qubits of a quantum processor, for example superconducting flux qubits of a superconducting quantum processor. A problem Hamiltonian may be established by applying control signals to the qubits, an evolution Hamiltonian established by applying disorder terms, and annealing by gradually removing the disorder terms. Change in persistent current in the qubits may be compensated. Multipliers may mediate coupling between various qubits and a global signal line, for example by applying respective scaling factors. Two global signal lines may be arranged in an interdigitated pattern to couple to respective qubits of a communicatively coupled pair of qubits. Pairs of qubits may be communicatively isolated and used to measure a response of one another to defined signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: D-Wave Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Berkley, Richard G. Harris, Mohammad Amin
  • Publication number: 20110055516
    Abstract: An innovative realization of computer hardware, software and firmware comprising a multiprocessor system wherein at least one processor can be configured to have a fixed instruction set and one or more processors can be statically or dynamically configured to implement a plurality of processor states in a plurality of technologies. The processor states may be instructions sets for the processors. The technologies may include programmable logic arrays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: FTL Systems Technology Corporation
    Inventor: John C. Willis
  • Publication number: 20110055559
    Abstract: A file-based data retention management system is provided. A data source can store data files. An online backup file system can make a backup copy of the data files from the data source and store the backup copy of the data files on a backup server. A policy database can be maintained by the system, the policy database including data retention policies for the data files for retention management of the data files. A key management system can assign and manage encryption keys for the data files. The key management system can store the encryption keys on a separate system from the data files stored on the backup server.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventors: Jun Li, Sharad Singhal, Ram Swaminathan
  • Patent number: 7889204
    Abstract: A programmable processor and method for improving the performance of processors by expanding at least two source operands, or a source and a result operand, to a width greater than the width of either the general purpose register or the data path width. The present invention provides operands which are substantially larger than the data path width of the processor by using the contents of a general purpose register to specify a memory address at which a plurality of data path widths of data can be read or written, as well as the size and shape of the operand. In addition, several instructions and apparatus for implementing these instructions are described which obtain performance advantages if the operands are not limited to the width and accessible number of general purpose registers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: MicroUnity Systems Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Hansen, John Moussouris, Alexia Massalin
  • Patent number: 7890782
    Abstract: Power is conserved by dynamically applying clocks to execution units in a pipeline of a microprocessor. A clock to an execution unit is applied only when an instruction to the execution unit is valid. At other times when the execution unit needs not to be operational, the clock is not applied to the execution unit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a dynamiclock-control unit is used to provide a control signal to a local clock buffer providing a local clock to an execution unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Abernathy, Gilles Gervais, Rolf Hilgendorf
  • Publication number: 20110022820
    Abstract: A system may include first and second qubits that cross one another and a first coupler having a perimeter that encompasses at least a part of the portions of the first and second qubits, the first coupler being operable to ferromagnetically or anti-ferromagnetically couple the first and the second qubits together. A multi-layered computer chip may include a first plurality N of qubits laid out in a first metal layer, a second plurality M of qubits laid out at least partially in a second metal layer that cross each of the qubits of the first plurality of qubits, and a first plurality N times M of coupling devices that at least partially encompasses an area where a respective pair of the qubits from the first and the second plurality of qubits cross each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: D-WAVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Paul Bunyk, Richard David Neufeld, Felix Maibaum
  • Patent number: 7877436
    Abstract: A method and a data processing system for completing checkpoint processing of a distributed job with local tasks communicating with other remote tasks via a host fabric interface (HFI) and assigned HFI window. Each HFI window has a send count and a receive count, which tracks GSM messages that are sent from and received at the HFI window. When a checkpoint is initiated by a master task, each local task forwards the send count and the receive count to the master task. The master task sums the respective counts and then compares the totals to each other. When the send count total is equal to the receive count total, the tasks are permitted to continue processing. However, when the send count total is not equal to the receive count total, the master task notifies each task of the job to rollback to a previous checkpoint or kill the job execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lakshminarayana B. Arimilli, Robert S. Blackmore, Chulho Kim, Ramakrishnan Rajamony, Hanhong Xue
  • Patent number: 7844768
    Abstract: Each chassis includes a back plane having a plurality of slots and a CPU blade server and CMMs which are inserted in the slots, respectively. The back plane has a storage unit storing a housing number for identifying the housing, in-housing chassis numbers for identifying the chassis in the housing, and in-chassis slot IDs for identifying the slots. When the blade server is inserted into the corresponding slot, the blade server acquires the in-chassis slot ID from the back plane. When the CMMs are inserted into the corresponding slots, the CMMs acquire housing numbers and in-housing chassis numbers from the back plane, holds the housing number and the in-housing chassis numbers, and manages the configuration of the blade server through the back plane. One of the CMMs manages the other CMMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Tanaka
  • Patent number: RE42170
    Abstract: At least one peripheral processing apparatus and at least one information processing apparatus, interconnected through a network, include a storage means for storing control information by which the information processing apparatus controls the peripheral apparatus through the network. The control information stored in the storage means is transferred through the network to the information processing apparatus, which receives it, the control data being generated by the information processing apparatus based upon the control information transferred to the information processing apparatus control means executes control process according to the data control received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideaki Furukawa