Method and apparatus for implementing atomicity of memory operations in dynamic multi-streaming processors
US7257814B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 14, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 3, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3888
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A multi-streaming processor has a plurality of streams for streaming one or more instruction threads, a set of functional resources for processing instructions from streams, and a lock mechanism for locking selected memory locations shared by streams of the processor, the hardware-lock mechanism operating to set a lock when an atomic memory sequence is started and to clear a lock when an atomic memory sequence is completed. In preferred embodiments the lock mechanism comprises one or more storage locations associated with each stream of the processor, each storage location enabled to store a memory address a lock bit, and a stall bit. Methods for practicing the invention using the apparatus are also taught.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.