Nokia Corporation

Harri Hirvola

Tommi Juhani Zetterman

Kalle August Raiskila

Embodiments of the invention enable fast context switching of application specific processors having functional units with an architecturally visible state. In example embodiments, a processor allocates memory space to store two process control blocks for two active tasks to be performed by the processor comprising one or more custom functional units having a respective processing state not accessible by the processor. A memory controller stores the processing state of the custom functional units currently running a first active task, in a first process control block, in response to a preemptive task switch requirement. The memory controller loads a second processing state of the custom functional units for a second active task, from a second process control block in the memory, in response to the preemptive task switch requirement. The processor may then perform the second active task, based on the second processing state loaded into the custom functional units.

Method, apparatus, and computer program product for fast context switching of application specific processors

Method, apparatus, and computer program product embodiments of the invention are disclosed for efficient communication between processor units in a multi-core processor integrated circuit architecture. In example embodiments of the invention, a method comprises: storing with a shared inter-core communication unit in a multi-core processor, first data produced by a producer processor core, in a first token memory located at a first memory address of a memory address space; and connecting with the shared inter-core communication unit, the first token memory to a consumer processor core of the multi-core processor, to load the first data from the first token memory into the consumer processor core, in response to a first-type command from the producer processor core.

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Espoo, Finland

Harri Hirvola