Selecting fixed-point instructions to issue on load-store unit

US8108655B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Christopher M. Abernathy · Austin, US
• James Wilson Bishop · Leander, US
• Mary D. Brown · Austin, US
• William E. Burky · Austin, US
• Robert A. Cordes · Austin, US
• Hung Q. Le · Austin, US
• Dung Q. Nguyen · Austin, US
• Todd A. Venton · Austin, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 24, 2009
• Grant date: Jan 31, 2012
• Expiry date: Feb 10, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F9/3885
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Issue logic identifies a simple fixed point instruction, included in a unified payload, which is ready to issue. The simple fixed point instruction is a type of instruction that is executable by both a fixed point execution unit and a load-store execution unit. In turn, the issue logic determines that the unified payload does not include a load-store instruction that is ready to issue. As a result, the issue logic issues the simple fixed point instruction to the load-store execution unit in response to determining that the simple fixed point instruction is ready to issue and determining that the unified payload does not include a load-store instruction that is ready to issue.