Performance counters controlled by programmable logic
US6112318A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 11, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 29, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 11, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2201/88
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method for counting event signals generated by a computer system is described. The event signals are indicative of the performance of the computer system. Programmable logic enhances the functionality of performance counters by enabling the system user to specify, during the execution of an application program, which event signals to count. The system user can dynamically configure the programmable logic to select a subset of the event signals generated by the computer system, and to combine the selected subset of event signals to generate a new event signal that can be counted. Other new event signals can be generated by the programmable logic from the selected subset of event signals. A user of the computer system can dynamically make the selection of any one of the new event signals for counting.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.