Digital processor for processing long and short pointers and converting each between a common format
US8656139B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 11, 2011 |
| Grant date | Feb 18, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 22, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/342
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A digital processor stores pointers of different sizes in memory. The processor, specifically, executes instructions to store a long or short pointer. Long pointers reference any address in the memory's logical address space, while short pointers merely reference any address in a subset of that space. However, short pointers are smaller in size as stored in memory than long pointers. Long pointers thus support relatively large address range capabilities, while short pointers use less memory. The processor also executes instructions to load a long or short pointer into the register file, and does so in a way that does not require the processor to distinguish between the different pointers when executing other instructions. Specifically, the processor converts long and short pointers into a common format for loading into the register file, and converts pointers in the common format back into long or short pointers for storing in the memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.