Arm Limited

Dirk Duerinckx

Martinus Cornelis Wezelenburg

Jan Guffens

Johan Matterne

Sven Wambecq

Martinus Cornelius Wezelenburg

A data processing apparatus and method of operation of such a data processing apparatus are disclosed. The data processing apparatus has a main processing unit operable to perform a plurality of data processing tasks, and a data engine for performing a number of those tasks on behalf of the main processing unit. At least one shared resource is allocatable to the data engine by the main processing unit for use by the data engine when performing data processing tasks on behalf of the main processing unit. The data engine comprises a data engine core for performing the tasks, and a data engine subsystem configurable by the main processing unit and arranged to manage communication between the data engine core and an allocated shared resource. The data engine core comprises a resource manager unit for acting as a master device with respect to the data engine subsystem in order to manage use of the allocated shared resource. It has been found that such an approach provides a particularly efficient implementation of a data engine within a data processing apparatus, which reduces the need for re-writing of existing code to enable it to be executed on such a data processing apparatus.

Use of a data engine within a data processing apparatus

An interface requests instructions from a data store storing instructions of an application to be processed by a data processor, and receives and transmits the instructions to the data processor. The interface includes: an input that receives the instructions from the data store via at least one input bus; a buffer that stores received instructions; an output that outputs instructions to the data processing apparatus via the output bus; a control signal input that receives a control signal; and a buffer controller that controls the buffer to request an instruction subsequent to a previously received instruction within an instruction stream of the application from the data store in response to detection of no control signal on the control signal input and to detection of available buffer storage capacity. In response to a control signal received at the control signal input, the controller controls at least one of input and storage of instructions within the interface in order to seek to reduce instruction movement through the input.

Growing community of inventors

Wilsele, Belgium

Dirk Duerinckx