Apparatus and method for performing dual signed and unsigned multiplication of packed data elements

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing dual concurrent multiplications of packed data elements. For example one embodiment of a processor comprises: a decoder to decode a first instruction to generate a decoded instruction; a first source register to store a first plurality of packed byte data elements; a second source register to store a second plurality of packed byte data elements; execution circuitry to execute the decoded instruction, the execution circuitry comprising: multiplier circuitry to concurrently multiply each of the packed byte data elements of the first plurality with a corresponding packed byte data element of the second plurality to generate a plurality of products; adder circuitry to add specified sets of the products to generate temporary results for each set of products; zero-extension or sign-extension circuitry to zero-extend or sign-extend the temporary result for each set to generate an extended temporary result for each set; accumulation circuitry to combine each of the extended temporary results with a selected packed data value stored in a third source register to generate a plurality of final results; and a destination register to store the plurality of final results as a plurality of packed data elements in specified data element positions.