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:
Sep. 11, 2007
Filed:
Apr. 29, 2004
William Preston Alexander, Iii, Austin, TX (US);
Robert Tod Dimpsey, Austin, TX (US);
Frank Eliot Levine, Austin, TX (US);
Robert John Urquhart, Austin, TX (US);
William Preston Alexander, III, Austin, TX (US);
Robert Tod Dimpsey, Austin, TX (US);
Frank Eliot Levine, Austin, TX (US);
Robert John Urquhart, Austin, TX (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions in a processor for performing arithmetic operations. A data type associated with a particular memory location is used to determine if an operation about to be performed on the data in that location is legal. If the operation requires the data to have a required data type, a determination is made as to whether the operation is a legal operation based on the identified data type and the required data type. If the operation is not legal on the identified type, a determination is made as to whether data can be cast to change the identified data type to the required data type. The data is cast to the required data type if the data can be cast to form modified data, and the arithmetic operation is performed on the modified data. If the data cannot be cast to the Required type, an exception or interrupt is generated.