Abstract: An system-on-a-chip integrated circuit has a field programmable gate array core having logic clusters, static random access memory modules, and routing resources, a field programmable gate array virtual component interface translator having inputs and outputs, wherein the inputs are connected to the field programmable gate array core, a microcontroller, a microcontroller virtual component interface translator having input and outputs, wherein the inputs are connected to the microcontroller, a system bus connected to the outputs of the field programmable gate array virtual component interface translator and also to the outputs of said microcontroller virtual component interface translator, and direct connections between the microcontroller and the routing resources of the field programmable gate array core.

Abstract: An integrated circuit having statistical processing capability. The integrated circuit has an input for receiving input data in a first data domain. A data converter is provided for converting received input data from the first domain to a second domain different from the first domain. A statistical processor is provided for obtaining statistical information from the output of the data converter and processing the obtained statistical information in accordance with a predetermined processing algorithm. An output on the integrated circuit allow access of the processed statistical information by the statistical processor external to the integrated circuit.

Abstract: A matrix data processor is implemented wherein data elements are stored in physical registers and mapped to logical registers. After being stored in the logical registers, the data elements are then treated as matrix elements. By using a series of variable matrix parameters to define the size and location of the various matrix source and destination elements, as well as the operation(s) to be performed on the matrices, the performance of digital signal processing operations can be significantly enhanced.

Abstract: A system for protocol processing in a computer network has an intelligent network interface card (INIC) or communication processing device (CPD) associated with a host computer. The CPD provides a fast-path that avoids protocol processing for most large multipacket messages, greatly accelerating data communication. The CPD also assists the host CPU for those message packets that are chosen for processing by host software layers. A context for a message is defined that allows DMA controllers of the CPD to move data, free of headers, directly to or from a destination or source in the host. The context can be stored as a communication control block (CCB) that is controlled by either the CPD or by the host CPU. The CPD contains specialized hardware circuits that process media access control, network and transport layer headers of a packet received from the network, saving the host CPU from that processing for fast-path messages.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, apparatus, and an instruction set architecture (ISA) for an application specific signal processor (ASSP) tailored to digital signal processing (DSP) applications. A single DSP instruction includes a pair of sub-instructions: a primary DSP sub-instruction and a shadow DSP sub-instruction. Both the primary and the shadow DSP sub-instructions are dyadic DSP instructions performing two operations in one instruction cycle. Each signal processing unit of the ASSP includes a primary stage to execute a primary DSP sub-instruction based upon current data and a shadow stage to simultaneously execute a shadow DSP sub-instruction based upon delayed data stored locally within registers of the signal processing units. The present invention efficiently executes DSP instructions by simultaneously executing primary DSP sub-instructions (based upon current data) and shadow DSP sub-instructions (based upon delayed locally stored data) with a single DSP instruction.

Abstract: A data processing system is provided with a digital signal processor which has an instruction for saturating multiple fields of a selected set of source operands and storing the separate saturated results in a selected destination register. A first 32-bit operand (600) and a second 32-bit operand (602) are treated as four 16-bit fields and the sixteen bits in each field are saturated separately. Multi-field saturation circuitry is operable to treat a source operand as a number of fields, such that a multi-field saturated (610) result is produced that includes a number of saturated results each corresponding to each field. One instruction is provided which treats an operand pair as having two packed fields, and another instruction is provided that treats the operand pair has having four packed fields. Saturation circuitry is operable to selectively treat a field as either a signed value or an unsigned value.

Abstract: A single-chip microcomputer comprising: a first bus having a central processing unit and a cache memory connected therewith; a second bus having a dynamic memory access control circuit and an external bus interface connected therewith; a break controller for connecting the first bus and the second bus selectively; a third bus having a peripheral module connected therewith and having a lower-speed bus cycle than the bus cycles of the first and second buses; and a bus state controller for effecting a data transfer and a synchronization between the second bus and the third bus. The single-chip microcomputer has the three divided internal buses to reduce the load capacity upon the signal transmission paths so that the signal transmission can be accomplished at a high speed. Moreover, the peripheral module required to have no operation speed is isolated so that the power dissipation can be reduced.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device and associated method are disclosed utilizing on-chip programmable circuitry that receives and stores vendor identification information, in particular, for devices meeting operational requirements of the Audio CODEC '97 Component Specification. The programmable circuitry allows for vendor ID information for multiple device configurations and/or multiple vendor supplied devices to be accurately reported to external devices. In particular, direct-access-arrangement (DAA) circuitry is disclosed having such on-chip programmable circuitry that may be loaded with vendor identification information at least in part from an external source. The external source may in turn be programmable circuitry, such as a EEPROM.

Abstract: A refrigerating apparatus comprises: a first substrate, on one surface of which an active converter and an inverter are mounted, and on a reverse surface of which a radiation fin is closely fixed; a second substrate, on which a microcomputer, a current detecting mechanism, and a terminal block are mounted; a resin casing covering sides of the first and second substrates and provided with a step permitting the terminal block to be arranged thereon; and a third substrate, on which an interface connector and a photo-coupler are mounted. The first substrate, the second substrate, and the third substrate are layered in this order on a bottom surface of the casing. Gel is filled up to a power semiconductor surface of the first substrate, and a resin is filled up to an upper surface of the second substrate.

Abstract: A microprocessor having an internal memory for storing data to be process, a data pointer register for storing an address on the internal memory, a decoder 36 for decoding an instruction, a general-purpose register module 11 including data registers r0 and r1 for storing data read from an address on the internal memory stored in the data pointer register in accordance with a request to read data stored in the internal memory, and an ALU 13 for performing processing using data stored in the general-purpose register module 11 based on the result of decoding by the decoder 36 and writing the result of processing in the general-purpose register module 11.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for producing a mass-coded combinatorial library comprising a set of compounds having the general formula X(Y)n, where X is a scaffold, each Y is, independently, a peripheral moiety, and n is an integer greater than 1. The apparatus comprises a digital processor assembly for selecting a peripheral moiety precursor subset from a peripheral moiety precursor set. The subset includes a sufficient number of peripheral moiety precursors that at least about 50 distinct combinations of n peripheral moieties derived from the peripheral moiety precursors in the subset exist. The subset of peripheral moiety precursors is selected so that at least about 90% of all possible combinations of n peripheral moieties derived from the subset have a molecular mass sum which is distinct from the molecular mass sums of all of the other combinations of n peripheral moieties. Methods of use of the mass-coded combinatorial library produced by this apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for prototyping an integrated circuit may include selecting at least one daughter card for connection to a motherboard. The daughter card is selected having an ability to provide functionality corresponding to a specific integrated circuit device. The at least one daughter card is connected to the motherboard so that the daughter card is communicatively connected to common memory provided on the motherboard. The motherboard is connected to an information handling system utilizing a prototyping interface device, the information handling system providing a virtual software modeling environment for an integrated circuit. The at least one daughter card, information handling system, prototyping interface device and motherboard emulate an integrated circuit design. At least one of software and system integration of the integrated circuit emulated by the motherboard, information handling system, prototyping interface device and the at least one daughter card is tested.

Abstract: A SOC processor for multimedia capable of improving three-dimensional graphic process speed includes a pre-processor circuit unit to convert an image signal transmitted from the outside into a compressed input signal for compressing the image signal, an encoder/decoder circuit unit to create a compressed data by compressing the compressed input signal, and to encode the compressed data, a post-processor to convert the coded image signal so that an image displaying apparatus can use the image signal, a graphic accelerator to process three-dimensional graphic computation with respect to the image signal output on the image displaying apparatus, a first system bus connected with the encoder/decoder circuit unit, a second system bus connected with the pre-processor, post-processor, and graphic accelerator, and a controlling unit to control the above circuit units. The first system bus and second system bus can communicate data each other by a bridge DMA circuit unit.

Abstract: A method for prototyping an integrated circuit may include selecting at least one daughter card for connection to a motherboard. The daughter card is selected having an ability to provide functionality corresponding to a specific integrated circuit device. The at least one daughter card is connected to the motherboard so that the daughter card is communicatively connected to common memory provided on the motherboard. The at least one daughter card and motherboard emulate an integrated circuit design. At least one of software and system integration of the integrated circuit emulated by the motherboard and the at least one daughter card is tested.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading and storing vectors from and to memory, including embedding a location identifier in bits comprising a vector load and store instruction, wherein the location identifier indicates a location in the vector where useful data ends. The vector load instruction further includes a value field that indicates a particular constant for use by the load/store unit to set locations in the vector register beyond the useful data with the constant. By embedding the ending location of the useful date in the instruction, bandwidth and memory are saved by only requiring that the useful data in the vector be loaded and stored.

Abstract: A method of communicating with a configurable system-on-chip via a test interface is described. First, an interface is coupled to a configurable system-on-chip and a first command is sent to the interface from a tester. The next command execution is then blocked. Next, the first command is executed in the configurable system-on-chip. Data is then output from the configurable system-on-chip and written to a register in the interface. The data output includes a ready bit. Next, the data from the register is read. The first bit read is an asserted ready bit. The next command execution is then enabled. When the asserted ready bit is received in the tester, the tester sends a second command to the interface. The second command is then executed in the configurable system-on-a-chip.

Abstract: A high performance bit processing engine that contains various components that are interconnected such that the processing elements are configurable. The same processing element can be used to perform Bit Stripping and later configured for Bit Insertion. The result is a scaleable and flexible engine for processing bits.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for implementing frame header alterations in a network processor. A command decoder receives and decodes frame alteration commands and provides frame alignment commands and alteration instructions. A data aligner receives frame data and is coupled to the command decoder receiving the frame alignment commands. The data aligner includes an insert and delete unit that sequentially receives a predefined number of bytes of frame data, selectively latches data bytes of the received predefined number of bytes of frame data responsive to the frame alignment commands and sequentially provides an aligned frame data output of the predefined number of bytes. An alteration engine is coupled to the data aligner receiving the sequential aligned frame data output and is coupled to the command decoder receiving the alteration instructions. The alteration engine provides sequential altered frame data responsive to the received alteration instructions.

Abstract: There is disclosed, for use in a digital signal processor, an apparatus for dynamically sizing a hardware loop that executes a plurality of instruction sequences forming a plurality of instruction loops. The apparatus comprises: 1) N pairs of loop start registers and loop end registers, each loop start register for storing a loop start address and each loop end register for storing a loop end address; 2) N comparators, each of the N comparators associated with one of the N pairs of loop start registers and loop end registers, wherein each of the N comparators compares a selected one of a first loop start address and a first loop end address to a fetch program counter value to detect one of a loop start hit and a loop end hit; and 3) fetch address generation circuitry for detecting the loop start hit and the loop end hit and fetching from an address in a program memory an instruction associated with one of the loop start hit and the loop end hit and loading the fetched instruction into the hardware loop.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to extended instruction sets, compilers and platforms architectures. A system may include a plurality of platforms and a compiler operationally linked to the plurality of platforms. The platforms include sets of embedded instruction extensions selectable for implementation by a function of the platforms, the sets of embedded instruction extensions suitable for performing operations. The compiler is suitable for generating operational codes to invoke the sets of embedded instruction extensions of the platforms.

Abstract: A direct memory access function for servicing real-time events, ensures that any parameter reloads occur during times when the direct memory access channel is idle and guarantees completion before the channel begins active operation again. The direct memory access channel whose parameters are to be updated is disabled during the update cycle. This ensures that no requests are processed until the new parameters have been written to the direct memory access channel parameters. A second direct memory access channel may be used to reload the data transfer parameters permitting a self-modifying direct memory access function.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a modem provides functionality for audio processing and for implementing a modem. A digital signal processor is connected to one or more audio codecs to interface with an analog audio channel, and is connected to one or more modem codecs and a data access arrangement to interface with a communications channel.

Abstract: A computer system for accelerated processing of stack oriented interpretive language instructions comprising a translator which establishes correlations between address values and core operations, a processing accelerator core for performing core operations, a cache memory for storing operand data, a control logic device for reading and writing operand data and for determining core operations corresponding with address values and an arithmetic logic unit for receiving data and performing core operations, being specified solely by address values.

Abstract: An integrated circuit contains a processor (DSP) for the processing of data, at least two modules (M1, M2, M3) for the processing of data packets selected by the processor according to differing operation regulations, and a router (ROUTER) which is connected to all modules (M1, M2, M3) and to the processor (DSP) for the purpose of controlling the data traffic between the processor (DSP) and the modules (M1, M2, M3). The router is suited to receive from the processor (DSP) data packets and associated instructions, to execute special operations for individual data packets which can be executed by the modules (M1, M2, M3) in specified sequence, to coordinate autonomously the control of the sequences, to transfer the data packets to the appropriate modules (M1, M2, M3), and to transfer the data packets after they have been processed according to the specified instructions to the processor (DSP).

Abstract: A view-based design technique for an ASIC includes selecting a particular multiple level hierarchy and for each level in the hierarchy creating a hardware description language file which declares the relevant signals and module instantiations.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for obtaining a scalar value from a vector register for use in a mixed vector and scalar instruction, including providing a vector in a vector register file, and embedding a location identifier of the scalar value within the vector in the bits defining the mixed vector and scalar instruction. The scalar value can be used directly from the vector register without the need to load the scalar to a scalar register prior to executing the instruction. The scalar location identifier may be embedded in the secondary op code of the instruction, or the instruction may have dedicated bits for providing the location of the scalar within the vector.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are components and/or methods that facilitate implementation of a practical FDTD hardware accelerator. The components and/or methods increase speed, reduce memory requirements, and/or simplify a FDTD hardware implementation. This is accomplished by providing one, some, or all of the following: a reformulated FDTD method to simplify the hardware implementation; a memory look-up table (MLUT) to decrease memory requirements; customized, floating-point arithmetic units optimized for speed to decrease execution time; a memory switching unit (MSU) that coordinates multiple memory reads and writes from/to multiple random access memories (RAMs) to simplify control; a data dependence unit (DDU) that determines all dependencies associated with a given calculation to simplify control; and/or a control unit based on a global counter to simplify control.

Abstract: The present invention provides a processor device and technique having the capability of providing a two-processor solution with only one processor. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, a host processor is programmed in its native source and machine code language, and an emulated second processor is programmed in a different native source or machine code language particular to that emulated processor, to allow programming specialists in the different processors to develop common code for use on the same host processor. A multitasking operating system is included to allow time sharing operation between instructions from program code relating to the host processor (e.g., a DSP in the disclosed embodiment), and different program code relating to the emulated processor. The program code relating to the host processor (e.g., DSP) is written in program code which is native to the DSP, while the program code relating to the emulated processor (e.g.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for synchronizing and communicating between processing entities, such as cores or threads, in a multiprocessor. Two registers are used as a “hardware mailbox” by two processing entities of a microprocessor. A first register is used to communicate information from a first processing entity to a second processing entity, while a second register is used to communication information from the second processing entity to the first processing entity. The first and second registers are cross-decoded by the two processing entities. One or more bits in each register are used to synchronize operation of the processing entities. In a microprocessor including three or more such processing entities, a read-write register of each processing entity holds outgoing information and a read-only register of each processing entity holds incoming information. A separate logic circuit logically combines the contents of the read-write registers and stores the result in the read-only registers.

Abstract: A digital computer system automatically creates an Instruction Set Architecture (ISA) that potentially exploits VLIW instructions, vector operations, fused operations, and specialized operations with the goal of increasing the performance of a set of applications while keeping hardware cost below a designer specified limit, or with the goal of minimizing hardware cost given a required level of performance.

Abstract: There is provided a copying system for copying information recorded on a first recording medium onto a second recording medium. The first recording medium is recorded with copying control information for representing conditions for permitting copying of the information recorded on the first recording medium, the copying control information being multiplexed within the information recorded on the first recording medium.

Abstract: A high speed programmable ER computational engine that is based on a micro-programmed control unit and a register intensive pipelined datapath that removes the need for having an instruction set interpreter includes a data path unit operably coupled to directly receive datapath control words from a control unit. The control unit includes memory and an address unit, where the memory stores the data path control words, which relate to a computational algorithm. The address unit receives input (e.g., begin an ER calculation) from an external source, where the input causes at least some of the data path control words to be retrieved from the memory. The data path unit includes a pair of register files, a plurality of floating point units, and data flow coupling. The pair of register files operate in a double buffering manner such that one of the register files is receiving parameters (e.g., data rate information of a connection) for subsequent computation while the other is used for a current computation.

Abstract: A networked-based remotely-controlled power switch device is proposed, which can be coupled to an electricity-powered system, such as a personal computer (PC), a TV, or a video recorder, to allow the electricity-powered system to be powered ON or OFF through remote control by a remote computer system via a network system, such as Internet, Ethernet, or PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). This power switch device allows a user without an Internet account to be nevertheless able to use a remote PC system for remote ON/OFF control of the electricity-powered system. Further, in addition to instant ON/OFF control, this power device also allows the user to perform scheduled ON/OFF control to the electricity-powered system so that the electricity-powered system can be automatically powered ON or OFF at a specified time.

Abstract: A clipping and quantization technique is described for producing clipped numbers in a range of 0 to N−1 (from unclipped numbers in a range of −0.5N to (1.5N−1)), where N is 2m and m is the bit length of the desired clipped and quantized number. The most significant bit of the unclipped data value indicates whether an overflow of the permitted range has occurred and that clipping is required. The next most significant bit (m−1th) indicates which saturated value should be adopted. These properties of the unclipped data value may be exploited to generate the desired clipped and quantized numbers using logical left shifting and conditionally executed saturating instructions executing upon a general purpose processor 24. The shifting operations performed to achieve saturation operation may simultaneously yield quantization.

Abstract: A digital signal processing device applicable to a signal processing system using a CPU is mainly configured by an external memory and a digital signal processor (i.e., DSP), which are connected together using a data bus and an address bus. The external memory stores multiplier data and coefficient data as well as basic instructions. In the DSP, an ALU calculates addresses for accessing the external memory via the address bus. A bus control unit identifies the multiplier data, coefficient data and basic instructions respectively, which are read from the external memory. The DSP performs calculations containing multiplication using the multiplier data and coefficient data. The DSP is controlled in operations in response to a CPU mode and a DSP mode, one of which is selected by decoding the basic instruction(s) identified by the bus control unit. At the CPU mode, the basic instructions of sixteen bits are subjected to coding to produce high-speed instructions of thirty-two bits for controlling the DSP.

Abstract: The transfer controller with hub and ports (TCHP) performs the task of communication throughout an entire system in a centralized function. A single hub (435) tied to multiple ports (440, 447, 450, 452) by a central pipeline is the medium for all data communications among DSP clusters (455), external devices, and external memory. A transfer request queue manager (420) receives, prioritizes and queues data transfer requests. Each data port includes an identically configured interior interface (901) connected to the hub (435) and an exterior interface (902) configured for a target external memory/device connected to the port. The interior interfaces of all ports are clocked at a common internal frequency, while the exterior interfaces are clocked at the frequency of the external memory/device connected to the port.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, apparatus, and an instruction set architecture (ISA) for an application specific signal processor (ASSP) tailored to digital signal processing (DSP) applications. A single DSP instruction includes a pair of sub-instructions: a primary DSP sub-instruction and a shadow DSP sub-instruction. Both the primary and the shadow DSP sub-instructions are dyadic DSP instructions performing two operations in one instruction cycle. Each signal processing unit of the ASSP includes a primary stage to execute a primary DSP sub-instruction based upon current data and a shadow stage to simultaneously execute a shadow DSP sub-instruction based upon delayed data stored locally within registers of the signal processing units. The present invention efficiently executes DSP instructions by simultaneously executing primary DSP sub-instructions (based upon current data) and shadow DSP sub-instructions (based upon delayed locally stored data) with a single DSP instruction.

Abstract: The speed of conversion processing is limited if default conversion processing 1 and user unique conversion processing 2 are sequentially performed. In view of this, when an instruction of a characteristic of the conversion processing 2 is inputted by a user, conversion process data 3 is generated by integrating a characteristic of the default conversion processing 1 and the instructed characteristic of the conversion processing 2, and conversion processing is executed based on the generated conversion process data 3.

Abstract: A computer system employing a host processor and an emulation coprocessor. The host processor includes hardware configured to execute instructions defined by a host instruction set architecture, while the emulation coprocessor includes hardware configured to execute instructions defined by a different instruction set architecture from the host instruction set architecture (“the foreign instruction set architecture”). The host processor core executes operating system code as well as application programs which are coded in the host instruction set architecture. Upon initiation of a foreign application program, the host processor core communicates with the emulation coprocessor core to cause the emulation coprocessor core to execute the foreign application program. Accordingly, application programs coded according to the foreign instruction set architecture can be executed directly in hardware. The computer system may be characterized as a heterogeneous multiprocessing system.

Abstract: The invention relates to an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for processing defined sequences of assembler instructions (TASKs). To improve data throughput in applications with high memory access rates, the ASIC contains a TASK scheduler, which is implemented as hardware and which chronologically coordinates, in an appropriate manner, the processing of different TASKs on an ASIC internal processing means (EXU). Compared to conventional software control units for multitasking systems, this TASK scheduler which is implemented as hardware offers the advantage, among others, that the operating system is relieved of load, and an expensive memory architecture is not required.

Abstract: The configurable processor system includes a processor, an internal system bus, and a programmable logic all interconnected via the internal system bus, on a single integrated circuit.

Abstract: A system for transferring data in a single clock cycle between a digital signal processor (DSP) and an external memory unit and method of same. The system includes a data transfer element coupled between the external memory unit and the DSP, where the data transfer element is adapted to transfer the data between the external memory unit and the DSP in a single clock cycle. In one embodiment, the data transfer element is a coprocessor including a plurality of latch devices coupled to buses between the DSP and the memory unit. A first set of data are transferred from a first memory unit (e.g., from either the DSP internal memory unit or the external memory unit, depending on the direction of the data transfer) into the coprocessor during a first clock cycle and out of the coprocessor to a second memory unit in a second clock cycle occurring immediately after the first clock cycle.

Abstract: A method for generating data characterizing an item described by an ordered string of characters, comprises the steps of: (i) for a set of separation metrics each representing a unique number of positions of separation between arbitrary characters in a character group in the ordered string of characters, associating first with each separation metric; generating a set of character groups, wherein each character group comprises at least two characters contained within the ordered string of characters; and (ii) for at least one given character group in the set of character groups, for each given separation metric in the set of separation metrics, generating second data representing number of occurrences that the given character group satisfies the given separation metric; generating third data associated with the given character group, wherein the third data is based upon the second data and the first data; and storing the third data in memory for subsequent use.

Abstract: An improved digital signal processor, in which arithmetic multiply-add instructions are performed faster with substantial accuracy. The digital signal processor performs multiply-add instructions with look-ahead rounding, so that rounding after repeated arithmetic operations proceeds much more rapidly. The digital signal processor is also augmented with additional instruction formats which are particularly useful for digital signal processing. A first additional instruction format allows the digital signal processor to incorporate a small constant immediately into an instruction, such as to add a small constant value to a register value, or to multiply a register by a small constant value; this allows the digital signal processor to conduct the arithmetic operation with only one memory lookup instead of two.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, apparatus, and an instruction set architecture (ISA) for an application specific signal processor (ASSP) tailored to digital signal processing (DSP) applications. The instruction set architecture implemented with the ASSP, is adapted to DSP algorithmic structures. In one embodiment, a single DSP instruction includes a pair of sub-instructions: a primary DSP sub-instruction and a shadow DSP sub-instruction. Both the primary and the shadow DSP sub-instructions are dyadic DSP instructions performing two operations in one instruction cycle. The DSP operations, in one embodiment, include a multiply instruction (MULT), an addition instruction (ADD), a minimize/maximize instruction (MIN/MAX), and a no operation instruction (NOP).

Abstract: A built-in memory is divided into the following two types: first memories 5 and 7 and second memories 4 and 6, and made accessible in parallel by third buses XAB and XDB and second buses YAB and YDB respectively. Thereby, a CPU core 2 can simultaneously transfer two data values from the built-in memory to a DSP engine 3. Moreover, the third buses XAB and XDB and the second buses YAB and YDB are also separate from first buses IAB and IDB to be externally interfaced and the CPU core 2 can access an external memory in parallel with the access to the second memories 4 and 6 and the first memories 5 and 7.

Abstract: Method of processing several computer-controlled technical applications. The applications are executed within the same computer working in successive work cycles by allotting thereto during the work cycles at least one time slot of a previously fixed duration. At the end of the time slot allotted to a technical application, a start interrupt is generated which is aimed at starting the execution of another technical application. Each technical application has allotted thereto at least one memory space slot for writing data. The memory space slot is write-inaccessible to the other technical applications so that a technical application which during execution possesses a given level of criticality does not disturb another application having a higher or equal level of criticality.

Abstract: A register renaming apparatus includes one or more physical registers which may be assigned to store a floating point value, a multimedia value, an integer value and corresponding condition codes, or condition codes only. The classification of the instruction (e.g. floating point, multimedia, integer, flags-only) defines which lookahead register state is updated (e.g. floating point, integer, flags, etc.), but the physical register can be selected from the one or more physical registers for any of the instruction types. Determining if enough physical registers are free for assignment to the instructions being selected for dispatch includes considering the number of instructions selected for dispatch and the number of free physical registers, but excludes the data type of the instruction. When a code sequence includes predominately instructions of a particular data type, many of the physical registers may be assigned to that data type (efficiently using the physical register resource).

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for performing a multimedia function. A data port receives the input data. A shared memory is coupled to the data port for storing the input data. A multimedia syntax is coupled to the shared memory for processing the input data based on a configuration information. The multimedia syntax corresponds to the multimedia function.

Abstract: A digital signal processor particularly adapted for decoding digital audio. The barrel shifter of the processor includes logical circuitry, so that operations involving a combination of a logical operation and a shift, can be performed in a single pass through the combined barrel shifter/logical unit, rather than requiring separate passes through the barrel shifter and ALU, which would require more instruction cycles. The address generator of the processor, includes circuitry which concatenates the most significant bits of a base address of a table to the least significant bits of an index, to thereby rapidly generate addresses of indexed locations in a table.