The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 12, 1996
Filed:
May. 10, 1993
Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for performing bi-endian byte and short accesses in a single endian microprocessor. The present invention is used in a microprocessor or in a microprocessor in a computer system. The present invention provides a single endian microprocessor that promotes sub-word accesses to word accesses with a means for manipulating the two least significant bits of the access address to point to the correct sub-word data returned during an access to bi-endian external memory. The method for manipulating the address bits is also used to allow a single endian data cache to operate with the bi-endian external memory. The two LSBs of the address are manipulated such that the pointer values are A1# and A0# for word promoted byte accesses or cacheable accesses. For word promoted short accesses or cacheable accesses, the pointer values are A1# and A0. The present invention offers increased flexibility in interfacing a single-endian microprocessor with bi-endian systems. The present invention provides easy interfacing without undue or overly complex modifications to existing circuits.