Tininess prediction and handler engine for smooth handling of numeric underflow
US9940101B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 10, 2016 |
| Grant date | Apr 10, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4843
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a tininess prediction and handler engine for handling numeric underflow while streamlining the data path for handling normal range cases, thereby avoiding flushes, and reducing the complexity of a scheduler with respect to how dependent operations are handled. A preemptive tiny detection logic section can detect a potential tiny result for the function or operation that is being performed, and can produce a pessimistic tiny indicator. The tininess prediction and handler engine can further include a subnormal post-processing pipe, which can denormalize and round one or more subnormal operations while in a post-processing mode. A schedule modification logic section can reschedule in-flight operations. The schedule modification logic section can issue dependent operations optimistically assuming that a producing operation will not produce a tiny result, and so will not incur extra latency associated with fixing the tiny result in the post-processing pipe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.