Method and apparatus for pre-processing instructions for a processor
US6539471B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 23, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 23, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3858
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for reducing or eliminating retirement logic in an out-of-order processor are disclosed. Instructions are processed using a processing unit capable of out-of-order processing and having architectural registers having an architectural state. Groups of instructions are prepared for processing by processing unit, wherein within each group to be processed the instructions producing the final state of an architectural register are changed so that they write to an output copy of the architectural state, the instructions reading architectural registers are changed to read from an input copy of the architectural state, and the instructions within each group producing results to architectural registers that would be overwritten by another instruction in the group are changed to write their results to temporary registers. The input copy of the architectural registers is obtained prior to processing of the at least one group, and the output copy is written to the architectural registers following completion of processing of the at least one group. Interim results in the group are stored in temporary registers. In another embodiment, instructions are associated with a reti…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.