Via Technologies, Inc.

Ip-first, LLC

Via Alliance Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

Other

Centaur Technologies

Rodney E Hooker

G Glenn Henry

Terry J Parks

Colin Eddy

Douglas Raye Reed

John Michael Greer

Gerard M Col

Albert J Loper

Darius D Gaskins

Glenn Henry

Clinton Thomas Glover

Stephan Gaskins

Matthew Daniel Day

Wen-Chi Chen

Jason Chen

John D Bunda

Brent Bean

Dinesh K Jain

Timothy A Elliott

Bryan Wayne Pogor

Daniel W J Johnson

Meera Ramani-Augustin

Daruis D Gaskins

Albert J Lopez

Glenn G Henry

Parks Terry

G Glenn Henty

A cache memory system including a primary cache and an overflow cache that are searched together using a search address. The overflow cache operates as an eviction array for the primary cache. The primary cache is addressed using bits of the search address, and the overflow cache is addressed by a hash index generated by a hash function applied to bits of the search address. The hash function operates to distribute victims evicted from the primary cache to different sets of the overflow cache to improve overall cache utilization. A hash generator may be included to perform the hash function. A hash table may be included to store hash indexes of valid entries in the primary cache. The cache memory system may be used to implement a translation lookaside buffer for a microprocessor.

Cache system with a primary cache and an overflow cache that use different indexing schemes

A processor including a memory controller for interfacing an external memory and a programmable functional unit (PFU). The PFU is programmed by a PFU program to modify operation of the memory controller, in which the PFU includes programmable logic elements and programmable interconnectors. For example, the PFU is programmed by the PFU program to add a function or otherwise to modify an existing function of the memory controller enhance its functionality during operation of the processor. In this manner, the functionality and/or operation of the memory controller is not fixed once the processor is manufactured, but instead the memory controller may be modified after manufacture to improve efficiency and/or enhance performance of the processor, such as when executing a corresponding process.

Processor with memory controller including dynamically programmable functional unit

A processor with an expandable instruction set architecture for dynamically configuring execution resources. The processor includes a programmable execution unit (PEU) that may be programmed to perform a user-defined function in response to a user-defined instruction (UDI). The PEU includes programmable logic elements and programmable interconnectors that are collectively programmed to perform at least one processing operation. A UDI loader is responsive to a UDI load instruction that specifies a UDI and a location of programming information that is used to program the PEU. The PEU may be programmed for one or more UDIs for one or more processes. An instruction table stores each UDI and corresponding information to identify the UDI and possibly to reprogram the PEU if necessary. A UDI handler consults the instruction table to identify a received UDI and to send corresponding information to the PEU to execute the corresponding user-defined function.

Processor with an expandable instruction set architecture for dynamically configuring execution resources

A processor includes a processing core that detects a predetermined program is running on the processor and looks up a prefetch trait associated with the predetermined program running on the processor, wherein the prefetch trait is either exclusive or shared. The processor also includes a hardware data prefetcher that performs hardware prefetches for the predetermined program using the prefetch trait. Alternatively, the processing core loads each of one or more range registers of the processor with a respective address range in response to detecting that the predetermined program is running on the processor. Each of the one or more address ranges has an associated prefetch trait, wherein the prefetch trait is either exclusive or shared. The hardware data prefetcher performs hardware prefetches for the predetermined program using the prefetch traits associated with the address ranges loaded into the range registers.

Dynamically updating hardware prefetch trait to exclusive or shared at program detection

A processor includes first and second processing cores configured to support first and second respective subsets of features of its instruction set architecture (ISA) feature set. The first subset is less than all the features of the ISA feature set. The first and second subsets are different but their union is all the features of the ISA feature set. The first core detects a thread, while being executed by the first core rather than by the second core, attempted to employ a feature not in the first subset and, in response, to indicate a switch from the first core to the second core to execute the thread. The unsupported feature may be an unsupported instruction or operating mode. A switch may also be made if the lower performance/power core is being over-utilized or the higher performance/power core is being under-utilized.

Asymmetric multi-core processor with native switching mechanism

A processor includes a prefetcher that prefetches data in response to memory accesses, wherein each memory access has an associated memory access type (MAT) of a plurality of predetermined MATs. The processor also includes a table that holds scores that indicate effectiveness of the prefetcher to prefetch data with respect to the plurality of predetermined MATs. The prefetcher prefetches data in response to memory accesses at a level of aggressiveness based on the scores held in the table and the associated MATs of the memory accesses.

Prefetching with level of aggressiveness based on effectiveness by memory access type

A processor including a front end, at least one load pipeline, and a memory system that further includes a programmable prefetcher for prefetching information from an external memory. The front end converts fetched program instructions into microinstructions including load microinstructions and dispatches microinstructions for execution. The load pipeline executes dispatched load microinstructions and provides load requests to the memory system. The programmable prefetcher includes a load monitor, a programmable prefetch engine, and a prefetch requester. The load monitor tracks the load requests. The prefetch engine is configured to be programmed by at least one prefetch program to operate as a programmed prefetcher, such that during operation of the processor, the programmed prefetcher generates at least one prefetch address based on the load requests issued by the processor. The prefetch requester submits the at least one prefetch address to prefetch information from the memory system.

Processor with programmable prefetcher operable to generate at least one prefetch address based on load requests

A processor including a programmable prefetcher for prefetching information from an external memory. The programmable prefetcher includes a load monitor, a programmable prefetch engine, and a prefetch requester. The load monitor tracks load requests issued by the processor to retrieve information from the external memory. The programmable prefetch engine is configured to be programmed by at least one prefetch program to operate as a programmed prefetcher, such that during operation of the processor, the programmed prefetcher generates at least one prefetch address based on the load requests issued by the processor. The requester uses each generated prefetch address to prefetch information from the external memory. A prefetch memory may store one or more prefetch programs and a prefetch programmer may be included to select from among stored prefetch programs to program the prefetcher based on an executing process. Each prefetch program may be configured according to a prefetch definition.

A processor includes an indicator configured to indicate a first mode or a second mode and a functional unit configured to perform computations with a full degree of accuracy when the indicator indicates the first mode and to perform computations with less than the full degree of accuracy when the indicator indicates the second mode.

Processor with approximate computing execution unit that includes an approximation control register having an approximation mode flag, an approximation amount, and an error threshold, where the approximation control register is writable by an instruction set instruction

A conversion system that converts a standard executable program according to a predetermined ISA into a custom executable program executable by a general purpose processor. The processor includes a PEU that is programmable to execute a UDI. The conversion system includes a PEU programming tool that converts a functional description of a processing operation to be performed by the PEU of the processor into programming information for the PEU to perform the processing operation in response to the UDI. A converter converts the standard executable program into the custom executable program and includes an optimization routine that replaces a portion of the standard executable program with the specified UDI and that inserts the UDI into the custom executable program, and that further inserts a UDI load instruction that specifies the UDI and a location of the programming information in the custom executable program.

Conversion system for a processor with an expandable instruction set architecture for dynamically configuring execution resources

A compiler system that converts an application source program into an executable program according to a predetermined ISA executable by a general purpose processor. The processor includes a PEU that is programmable to execute a UDI. The compiler system includes a PEU programming tool that converts a functional description of a processing operation to be performed by the PEU of the processor into programming information for programming the PEU to perform the processing operation in response to the specified UDI. The compiler system includes a compiler that converts the application source program into the executable program, which includes an optimization routine that represents a portion of the application source program with the specified UDI and that inserts the UDI into the executable program, and that further inserts into the executable program a UDI load instruction that specifies the UDI and a location of the programming information in the executable program.

Compiler system for a processor with an expandable instruction set architecture for dynamically configuring execution resources

A set associative cache memory comprises an M&#xd7;N memory array of storage entries arranged as M sets by N ways, both M and N are integers greater than one. Within each group of P mutually exclusive groups of the M sets, the N ways are separately powerable. A controller, for each group of the P groups, monitors a utilization trend of the group and dynamically causes power to be provided to a different number of ways of the N ways of the group during different time instances based on the utilization trend.

Dynamic powering of cache memory by ways within multiple set groups based on utilization trends

A microprocessor comprises a cache including a tag array; a tagpipe that arbitrates access to the tag array; and a logic analyzer for investigating a starvation, livelock, or deadlock condition. The logic analyzer, which comprises read logic coupled to the tagpipe, is configured to record snapshots of transactions to access the tag array.

Logic analyzer for detecting hangs

A microprocessor includes a plurality of dynamically reconfigurable functional units, a fingerprint, and a fingerprint unit. As the plurality of dynamically reconfigurable functional units execute instructions according to a first configuration setting, the fingerprint unit accumulates information about the instructions according to a mathematical operation to generate a result. The microprocessor also includes a reconfiguration unit that reconfigures the plurality of dynamically reconfigurable functional units to execute instructions according to a second configuration setting in response to an indication that the result matches the fingerprint.

Fingerprint units comparing stored static fingerprints with dynamically generated fingerprints and reconfiguring processor settings upon a fingerprint match

A controller for controlling a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) comprising a plurality of blocks. A block is one or more units of storage in the DRAM for which the DRAM controller can selectively enable or disable refreshing. The DRAM controller includes flags each for association with a block of the blocks of the DRAM. A sanitize controller determines a block is to be sanitized and in response sets a flag associated with the block and disables refreshing the block. In response to subsequently receiving a request to read data from a location in the block, if the flag is clear, the DRAM controller reads the location and returns data read from it. If the flag is set, the DRAM controller refrains from reading the DRAM and returns a value of zero.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Rodney E Hooker