Intel Corporation

Jeff Huxel

Vedvyas Shanbhogue

Arvind Raman

Gilbert A Neiger

Jason W Brandt

Ashok Raj

Sarathy Jayakumar

Beeman C Strong

Rupin H Vakharwala

Ido Ouziel

Larisa Novakovsky

Andreas Kleen

Wei Ey Li

Sanjoy K Mondal

James D Allen

Jeffrey G Wiedemeier

Krishnakumar Ganapathy

A processor is described. The processor includes model specific register space that is visible to software above a BIOS level. The model specific register space is to specify a granularity of a processing entity of a lock-step group. The processor also includes logic circuitry to support dynamic entry/exit of the lock-step group's processing entities to/from lock-step mode including: i) termination of lock-step execution by the processing entities before the program code to be executed in lock-step is fully executed; and, ii) as part of the exit from the lock-step mode, restoration of a state of a shadow processing entity of the processing entities as the state existed before the shadow processing entity entered the lock-step mode and began lock-step execution of the program code.

Software visible and controllable lock-stepping with configurable logical processor granularities

An apparatus and method for processing non-maskable interrupt source information. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a plurality of cores comprising execution circuitry to execute instructions and process data; local interrupt circuitry comprising a plurality of registers to store interrupt-related data including non-maskable interrupt (NMI) data related to a first NMI; and non-maskable interrupt (NMI) processing mode selection circuitry, responsive to a request, to select between at least two NMI processing modes to process the first NMI including: a first NMI processing mode in which the plurality of registers are to store first data related to a first NMI, wherein no NMI source information related to a source of the NMI is included in the first data, and a second NMI processing mode in which the plurality of registers are to store both the first data related to the first NMI and second data comprising NMI source information indicating the NMI source.

Apparatus and method to identify the source of an interrupt

In one embodiment, a processor includes at least one core and an interface circuit to interface the at least one core to additional circuitry of the processor. In response to an in-field self test instruction, at least one core may save state to a low power memory, enter into a diagnostic sleep state and execute an in-field self test in the diagnostic sleep state in which the at least one core appears to be inactive. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

System, apparatus and method for in-field self testing in a diagnostic sleep state

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Jeff Huxel