Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for obtaining a scalar value directly from a vector register

US7908460B2 · kind B2 · utility

34Cited by
67References
15Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 3, 2010
Grant dateMar 15, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 3, 2030

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/30192
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for obtaining a scalar value from a vector register for use in a mixed vector and scalar instruction, including providing a vector in a vector register file, and embedding a location identifier of the scalar value within the vector in the bits defining the mixed vector and scalar instruction. The scalar value can be used directly from the vector register without the need to load the scalar to a scalar register prior to executing the instruction. The scalar location identifier may be embedded in the secondary op code of the instruction, or the instruction may have dedicated bits for providing the location of the scalar within the vector.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.