Method and apparatus selectively to advance a write pointer for a queue based on the indicated validity or invalidity of an instruction stored within the queue
US7149883B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 30, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 12, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 30, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3851
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A buffer mechanism for buffering microinstructions between a trace cache and an allocator performs a compacting operation by overwriting entries within a queue, known not to store valid instructions or data, with valid instructions or data. Following a write operation to a queue included within the buffer mechanism, pointer logic determines whether the entries to which instructions or data have been written include the valid data or instructions. If an entry is shown to be invalid, the write pointer is not advanced past the relevant entry. In this way, an immediately following write operation will overwrite the invalid data or instruction with data or instruction. The overwriting instruction or data will again be subject to scrutiny (e.g., a qualitative determination) to determine whether it is valid or invalid, and will only be retained within the queue if valid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.