Method and apparatus for initiating execution of an application processor in a clustered multiprocessor system
US6687818B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 28, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 28, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4405
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus is disclosed for initiating execution of selected application processors in a clustered multiprocessor system without disrupting the addressing mode of the processors. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by initializing the processors in a conventional way, setting the addressing mode, and then leaving each of the processors in an active mode spinning on a designated Startup Address Location. To start an application processor, the OS simply write a target processor ID and a desired start-up address into the Startup Address Location. The application processor with the matching processor ID reads the Startup Address Location, jumps to the address specified in the Start-Up Address code section, and begins execution at that location. In another embodiment, a processor is provided that does not switch addressing modes when switched from a halt state.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.