Texas Instruments Corporation

Gael Clave

Gilbert Laurenti

Marc Couvrat

Karim Djafarian

Gerard Chauvel

Douglas E Deao

Mark L Buser

Jean-Pierre Giacalone

Shigeshi Abiko

Eric L Badi

Armelle Laine

Herve Catan

Vincent Gillet

Yves Masse

Alain Boyadjian

Jean-Marc Philippe Bachot

Anne Lombardot

Francois Theodorou

Eric Ponsot

Jack Rosenzweig

Walter A Jackson

Jean-Louis Tardieux

Laurent Ichard

Emmanuel Ego

Frederic Nidegger

David Russell

N M Ganesh

A processor ( ) is provided that is a programmable fixed point digital signal processor (DSP) with variable instruction length, offering both high code density and easy programming. Architecture and instruction set are optimized for low power consumption and high efficiency execution of DSP algorithms, such as for wireless telephones, as well as pure control tasks. The processor includes an instruction buffer unit ( ), a program flow control unit ( ), an address/data flow unit ( ), a data computation unit ( ), and multiple interconnecting busses. Dual multiply-accumulate blocks improve processing performance. A memory interface unit ( ) provides parallel access to data and instruction memories. The instruction buffer is operable to buffer single and compound instructions pending execution thereof. A decode mechanism is configured to decode instructions from the instruction buffer. The use of compound instructions enables effective use of the bandwidth available within the processor. A soft dual memory instruction can be compiled from separate first and second programmed memory instructions. Instructions can be conditionally executed or repeatedly executed. Bit field processing and various addressing modes, such as circular buffer addressing, further support execution of DSP algorithms. The processor includes a multistage execution pipeline with pipeline protection features. Various functional modules can be separately powered down to conserve power. The processor includes emulation and code debugging facilities with support for cache analysis.

Microprocessors

Linear vector computation

Modulator especially for digital cellular telephone systems, characterised in that it comprises a programmable peripheral processor (25) carrying out, with the same circuits, the modulation function and the channel coder/decoder tasks.

Modulator especially for digital cellular telephone system

Growing community of inventors

Antibes, France

Gael Clave