Imagination Technologies Limited

Paul Rowland

Hugh Jackson

A method and an apparatus for clocking data processing modules, with different average clock frequencies and for transferring data between the modules are provided. The apparatus includes a device for providing a common clock signal to the modules. Clock pulses are deleted from the common clock signal to individual modules in dependence on the clocking frequency required by each module. The clock pulses are applied to the modules between which the data is to be transferred at times consistent with the data transfer.

Clock frequency adjustment for semi-conductor devices

Methods, reservation stations and processors for allocating resources to a plurality of threads based on the extent to which the instructions associated with each of the threads are speculative. The method comprises receiving a speculation metric for each thread at a reservation station. Each speculation metric represents the extent to which the instructions associated with a particular thread are speculative. The more speculative an instruction, the more likely the instruction has been incorrectly predicted by a branch predictor. The reservation station then allocates functional unit resources (e.g. pipelines) to the threads based on the speculation metrics and selects a number of instructions from one or more of the threads based on the allocation. The selected instructions are then issued to the functional unit resources.

Allocating resources to threads based on speculation metric

System and methods for generating variable frequency clock signals from common clock signal and usage thereof

A method and apparatus are provided for docking data processing modules, which require differing average clock frequencies, and for transferring data between the modules. This comprises a means for providing a common dock signal to modules. Clock pulses are deleted from the common clock signal to individual modules in dependence on the docking frequency required by each module. Clock pulses are applied to modules between which data is to be transferred at times consistent with the data transfer.

Data processing modules requiring different average clock frequencies having a common clock and a clock gating circuit for deleting clock pulses applied to the modules at times consistent with data sourcing and sinking capabilities

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St. Albans, United Kingdom

Paul Rowland