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:
Feb. 15, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 18, 2007
Uwe Kranich, Kirchheim, DE;
Uwe Kranich, Kirchheim, DE;
Globalfoundries Inc., Grand Cayman, KY;
Abstract
A processor comprises a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. A state of the processor in the first mode of operation comprises a first plurality of variables. The first plurality of variables comprises a return address. A state of the processor in the second mode of operation comprises a second plurality of variables in addition to the first plurality of variables. The processor is configured to perform, in case of an interrupt or exception occurring during the second mode of operation, the steps of saving the second plurality of variables and the return address to a buffer memory, replacing the return address with an address of a trampoline instruction, and switching into the first mode of operation. These steps are performed independently of an operating system. The trampoline instruction is adapted to switch the processor from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, to read the second plurality of variables and the return address from the buffer memory and to jump to the return address.