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:
Jan. 01, 2008
Filed:
Feb. 17, 2004
William N. Joy, Aspen, CO (US);
Marc Tremblay, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Gary Lauterbach, Los Altos, CA (US);
Joseph I. Chamdani, Santa Clara, CA (US);
William N. Joy, Aspen, CO (US);
Marc Tremblay, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Gary Lauterbach, Los Altos, CA (US);
Joseph I. Chamdani, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A processor includes logic for attaining a very fast exception handling functionality while executing non-threaded programs by invoking a multithreaded-type functionality in response to an exception condition. The processor, while operating in multithreaded conditions or while executing non-threaded programs, progresses through multiple machine states during execution. The very fast exception handling logic includes connection of an exception signal line to thread select logic, causing an exception signal to evoke a switch in thread and machine state. The switch in thread and machine state causes the processor to enter and to exit the exception handler immediately, without waiting to drain the pipeline or queues and without the inherent timing penalty of the operating system's software saving and restoring of registers.