Unanimous branch instructions in a parallel thread processor
US8677106B2 · kind B2 · utility
2Cited by
9References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 14, 2010 |
| Grant date | Mar 18, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/38885
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a mechanism for managing thread divergence in a thread group executing a multithreaded processor. A unanimous branch instruction, when executed, causes all the active threads in the thread group to branch only when each thread in the thread group agrees to take the branch. In such a manner, thread divergence is eliminated. A branch-any instruction, when executed, causes all the active threads in the thread group to branch when at least one thread in the thread group agrees to take the branch.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.