On-chip hardware semaphore array supporting multiple conditionals

Abstract

Hardware semaphores are utilized to increase the speed with which preconditions are evaluated. On an individual basis, each hardware semaphore can implement a binary semaphore or a counting semaphore. Collections of hardware semaphores can be chained together to implement a chain semaphore that can support multiple conditionals. In addition, hardware semaphores can have the capability, not only of generating an interrupt, but, in addition, being able to generate commands, such as to other semaphores. The implementation of a chain semaphore spanning multiple hardware semaphores can be performed by a compiler at compile time or at run time. An integrated circuit chip can comprise multiple execution units, such as processing cores, and individual ones of the execution units can be associated with multiple hardware semaphores, such as in the form of hardware semaphore arrays. A dedicated network-on-chip enables hardware semaphore communication.