Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing – Processing control – Mode switch or change
Patent
1997-05-20
2000-02-15
Follansbee, John A.
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing
Processing control
Mode switch or change
712 23, 712 24, 712 43, 712210, 712215, G06F 930, G06F 1516
Patent
active
060264861
ABSTRACT:
A 32-bit processor control unit receives from a memory an instruction. The control unit then determines whether the received instruction is intended for a 32-bit processor or for a 16-bit processor. If the received instruction is analyzed to be a 32-bit processor instruction, the control unit controls the 32-bit processor with the aid of two 16-bit instruction control units. If the received instruction is a 16-bit processor instruction, the 32-bit processor control unit sends a 16-bit processor mode signal to each of the 16-bit instruction control units. One of the two 16-bit instruction control units controls one of two 16-bit processors which are divisions of the 32-bit processor while the other 16-bit instruction control unit controls the other 16-bit processor. The present invention makes it possible to have a single, wide bitwidth processor serve as a plurality of narrow bitwidth processors depending upon the type of processing. Various operations can be performed in parallel, thereby improving processor performance.
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patent: 5550978 (1996-08-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5758115 (1998-05-01), Nevill
John P. Hayes, Computer Architecture and Organization, McGraw Hill Inc. pp. 259-265, 1988.
Aono Kunitoshi
Kodama Hisashi
Follansbee John A.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
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