Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing – Dynamic instruction dependency checking – monitoring or... – Reducing an impact of a stall or pipeline bubble
Reexamination Certificate
2006-04-04
2006-04-04
Pan, Daniel H. (Department: 2183)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: processing
Dynamic instruction dependency checking, monitoring or...
Reducing an impact of a stall or pipeline bubble
C712S244000
Reexamination Certificate
active
07024543
ABSTRACT:
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for synchronizing a first pipeline and a second pipeline of a processor arranged to execute a sequence of instructions. The processor is arranged to route an instruction in the sequence through either the first or the second pipeline dependent on predetermined criteria, each pipeline having a plurality of pipeline stages including a retirement stage. Counter logic is provided for maintaining a first counter relating to the first pipeline and a second counter relating to the second pipeline. For each instruction in the first pipeline a determination is made as to when that instruction reaches a point within the first pipeline where an exception status of that instruction is resolved, and the counter logic is arranged to increment the first counter responsive to such determination. The processor is arranged to generate an indication within the second pipeline each time an instruction is routed to the first pipeline, and the counter logic is further arranged to increment the second counter responsive to that indication. Synchronisation logic is then provided which is arranged, when an instruction is in the retirement stage of the second pipeline, to determine with reference to the values of the first and second counters whether that instruction can be retired. If so, the retirement stage is arranged to cause an update of a state of the data processing apparatus dependent on the result of execution of that instruction.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5530825 (1996-06-01), Black et al.
patent: 6496925 (2002-12-01), Rodgers et al.
patent: 6553480 (2003-04-01), Cheong et al.
patent: 6553512 (2003-04-01), Gibson
patent: 6751717 (2004-06-01), Johnson
Devereux Ian Victor
Grisenthwaite Richard Roy
ARM Limited
Pan Daniel H.
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