Deforest W Tovey

Title: Deforest W Tovey: Innovator in Microprocessor Technology

Introduction

Deforest W Tovey is a notable inventor based in Los Gatos, CA (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of microprocessor technology, holding a total of 2 patents. His work focuses on improving the efficiency and functionality of instruction processing in microprocessors.

Latest Patents

Tovey's latest patents include a "Method and apparatus for selecting the oldest queued instructions." This invention involves an instruction selector that receives M instructions per clock cycle and stores N instructions in an instruction queue memory. The instruction queue generates a precedence matrix indicative of the age of the N instructions. A dependency checker determines the available registers for executing the instructions ready for execution. The oldest-instruction selector selects the M oldest instructions responsive to the precedence matrix and the eligible queue entry signals. The instruction queue then provides the M selected instructions to execution units for execution. Upon completing the instructions, the execution units provide register availability signals to the dependency checker to release the registers used for the instructions.

Another significant patent is the "Method and apparatus for coordinating the use of physical registers in a microprocessor." This invention includes an apparatus for coordinating the use of physical registers in the microprocessor. Upon receiving an instruction, the coordination apparatus extracts source and destination logical registers from the instruction. For the destination logical register, the apparatus assigns a physical address to correspond to the logical register. This process allows the apparatus to store the former relationship between the logical register and another physical register. Storing this former relationship enables the apparatus to backstep to a particular instruction when an execution exception is encountered. Additionally, the apparatus checks the instruction to determine whether it is a speculative branch instruction. If so, it creates a checkpoint by storing selected state information, providing a reference point for the processor to backtrack if a speculated branch was incorrectly predicted.

Career Highlights

Throughout his career, Tovey has worked with several prominent companies, including Hal Computer Systems, Inc. and Fujitsu Corporation. His experience in these organizations has contributed to his expertise in microprocessor design and innovation.

Collaborations

Tovey has collaborated with notable individuals in the field, including Michael C Shebanow and John Gmuender. These collaborations have likely enriched his work and contributed to advancements in microprocessor technology.

Conclusion