Intel Corporation

Other

Wayne D Smith

Kirk I Hays

Richard J Greco

Suresh S Chittor

David W Archer

Jim Sutton

Don Breazeal

Bradley C Smith

An improved method and apparatus for utilizing Translation Lookaside Buffers (TLB) for maintaining page tables in a paging unit on a computer system. TLB contents for executing tasks are retained when the task is swapped out. The contents are then reloaded into the TLB when the task is again scheduled for execution. Spare memory cycles are utilized to transfer outgoing TLB data into memory, and incoming TLB data for a next scheduled task from memory.

Translation lookaside buffer (TLB) arrangement wherein the TLB contents retained for a task as swapped out and reloaded when a task is rescheduled

A multiprocessor system and method for minimizing perturbations while monitoring parallel applications. Perturbations due to monitoring the application are minimized by synchronizing all the nodes within the system to a very accurate global time clock such that all the nodes running the application stop and restart running the application at the same time. Within the time period bounded by the stop and restart time, all the performance monitoring data is transferred from performance monitoring data buffers to a secondary memory.

Method and an apparatus for minimizing perturbation while monitoring

A computer system provides an expanded register set by employing transparent register stacks for each general purpose register. Each general purpose register and its corresponding set of auxiliary registers form a register stack. No register identification bits are required in processor instructions to reference auxiliary registers. A register set select storage area is a programmable register provided for the storage of a value that identifies the currently active register level. The register set select storage area is loaded using two additional processor instructions provided as part of the present invention. A register set switch is used for selecting a data path to the register level specified by the register set select storage area. A PUSHREG instruction is used to push the register stack pointer down one level. A POPREG instruction is used to move the register stack pointer up one register level. In a alternative embodiment of the present invention, the POPREG and PUSHREG instructions include an argument that specifies the single register stack that is manipulated. In another embodiment of the present invention, register stack underflow or overflow conditions are trapped using an interrupt process. Task switching is implemented with the present invention using a plurality of register stacks each associated with a task frame. In another embodiment of the present invention, the semantics of interrupts to the processor are changed to include an automatic PUSHREG and POPREG instruction execution.

Register stacking in a computer system

Translation lookaside buffer (TLB) arrangement wherein the TLB contents

A cache access controller and method for controlling access to a cache memory are implemented in a computer system having a processor for performing memory access operations specifying an address in main memory, and a cache memory comprised of a number of cache lines. The cache access controller includes a control circuit which produces a number of access values in response to the address, each access value being associated with a cache line and having a true or a false state. The controller also includes an access logic circuit which permits the caching of information associated with the address at a cache line if the access value associated with that cache line is true. An operator register and a parameter register associated with a cache line may be used in conjunction with the address to determine the access value for that cache line using arithmetic, logical, or a combination of arithmetic and logical, functions.

Cache access controller and method for permitting caching of information

A counter for counting instructions is implemented in a computer system having a processor in which instructions are fetched for potential execution. Each instruction is characterized by at least one instruction attribute. The counter includes at least one bit map register for storing a bit map. Each map bit position in the bit map represents a particular instruction attribute. Map bits at predetermined map bit positions are set. A bit mask register stores a bit mask corresponding to a fetched instruction. Each mask bit position in the bit mask represents a particular instruction attribute. A mask bit at a mask bit position is set if the mask bit position represents an instruction attribute of the fetched instruction. Logic circuitry increments a count value associated with a bit map based upon a comparison of the bit map with the bit mask.

Method and apparatus for counting instruction types using bit masks and

A computer system is described having selectable pointer validation. The pointer structure is modified to provide selectable pointer validation. Each pointer comprises an effective address portion and a validation enable field. The effective address portion defines the memory location referenced by the pointer. The validation enable field comprises one or more bits of information that indicate whether or not selectable pointer validation is enabled for the particular pointer. Prior to executing a pointer reference, a processor first loads the desired condition of the validation enable field of the pointer. In normal practice of the invention, a programmer would enable selective pointer validation for particular pointers under debug testing or pointers for which a problem may have been encountered. For those pointers for which selective pointer validation is disabled, the pointer reference to the specified effective address occurs without any pointer validation processing. If, however, selective pointer validation is enabled by setting the appropriate value in the validation enable field, additional processing steps are performed by the present invention in order to validate the access being made by the pointer. The pointer access is validated by comparing the effective address portion of the pointer with pointer access information maintained in a pointer descriptor table. The pointer descriptor table contains a pointer descriptor for each allocated pointer. The pointer descriptor for each allocated pointer comprises pointer access information including a base address, a limit address, and access privilege information or a protection value.

Selectable pointer validation in a computer system

Disclosed is a device which, upon impact, will broadcast a dry material such as fire-suppressing chemicals by explosive force. The device comprises an explosive charge within a frangible rigid-wall container, a dry powder payload within the container which substantially surrounds the explosive charge, and a fuse cord operably positioned between the explosive charge and an impact-activated detonator. Upon impact, the detonator will cause the fuse to be ignited. Ignition of the fuse cord, whether by the impact-activated detonator or an external source, will cause detonation of the explosive charge, thereby breaking the container and broadcasting the dry material outwardly therefrom.

Device for broadcasting dry material by explosive force

Disclosed is an apparatus which carries and selectively deploys aerial-drop units. The apparatus comprises a plurality of substantially parallel tubes, each tube being sized to hold a stack of units and is suspendible from an aircraft by a carrier. Associated with each of the tubes is a releasable unit support element which, upon release, allows a stack of units, as its support is removed, to drop by gravity from the tube.

Apparatus for deployment of aerial-drop units

A pair of wheel assemblies (26, 28) are vertically spaced apart and are supported for rotation about parallel axis (30, 38) by a common support frame (10). Each wheel assembly (26, 28) comprises a pair of wheels at its ends (38, 40). The wheels (34, 40) have radially outwardly opening channel portions (80) in which traveling bearing pads (64, 66) are received. The bearing pads are secured to endless support cables (46), and also to the end portions (152) of carrier beams (150, 194) which extend between the two wheels (34 or 40) of each assembly (26, 28). The carrier beam (150, 194) is an upper portion of a carrier (48, 48', 176) onto which is placed a motor vehicle or some article which is to be stored. A first drive cable section (54) is connected to the support cable (46) and extends therefrom to a winch drum (50). A second drive cable section (58) extends from the support cable (46) in the opposite direction to the same winch drum (50). When the winch drum (50) is rotated in one direction, it pulls on one of the drive cable sections (54, 58), and the second drive cable section (54, 58) is unwound from the winch drum (50). When the direction of rotation of the winch drum (50) is reversed, the first drive cable section (54, 58) is paid off of the winch drum (50) and the second drive cable section (54, 58) is wrapped onto the winch drum (50).

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Portland, OR, United States of America

Wayne D Smith