Conditional execution specification of instructions using conditional extension slots in the same execute packet in a VLIW processor

A method comprising:

• receiving a packet that includes a set of processor instructions and a condition instruction, wherein the condition instruction includes a field for each functional unit of the set of functional units to specify, for each of the set of processor instructions, a respective register of a register file, each of the set of processor instructions being associated with a respective functional unit of the set of functional units;
• providing the set of processor instructions to a set of functional units;
• and
• for each of the set of processor instructions, determining whether to fully execute the respective instruction using a respective functional unit of the set of functional units based on a value stored in the respective register of the register file specified by the condition instruction.

A method comprising:

• receiving a packet that includes a set of processor instructions and a condition instruction, wherein the condition instruction includes a field for each functional unit of the set of functional units to specify, for each of the set of processor instructions, a respective register of a register file;
• providing the set of processor instructions to a set of functional units;
• for each of the set of processor instructions, determining whether to fully execute the respective instruction using a respective functional unit of the set of functional units based on a value stored in the respective register of the register file specified by the condition instruction, wherein the determining determines not to fully execute a first processor instruction of the set of processor instructions;
• and
• performing at least a portion of the first processor instruction without writing a result of the first processor instruction.

A method comprising:

• receiving a packet that includes a set of processor instructions and a condition instruction, wherein the condition instruction includes a field for each functional unit of the set of functional units to specify, for each of the set of processor instructions, a respective register of a register file;
• providing the set of processor instructions to a set of functional units;
• and
• for each of the set of processor instructions, determining whether to fully execute the respective instruction using a respective functional unit of the set of functional units based on a value stored in the respective register of the register file specified by the condition instruction;
• wherein a first processor instruction of the set of processor instructions specifies a condition for execution of the first processor instruction;
• and
• wherein the condition instruction overrides the condition specified by the first processor instruction.

A method comprising:

• receiving a packet that includes a set of processor instructions and a condition instruction, wherein the condition instruction includes a field for each functional unit of the set of functional units to specify, for each of the set of processor instructions, a respective register of a register file;
• providing the set of processor instructions to a set of functional units;
• and
• for each of the set of processor instructions, determining whether to fully execute the respective instruction using a respective functional unit of the set of functional units based on a value stored in the respective register of the register file specified by the condition instruction;
• wherein the packet includes a constant instruction that specifies to execute another instruction without reference to the register file.

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a decode unit of a processor, a set of instructions, each instruction of the set of instructions directed to a respective functional unit of a set of functional units of the processor;
• receiving, by the decode unit, a condition instruction that includes a set of fields, each associated with a respective functional unit of the set of functional units;
• providing the set of instructions to the set of functional units;
• and
• determining, by each of the functional units, whether to fully execute the respective instruction of the set of instructions based on the respective field of the set of fields of the condition instruction, including determining not to fully execute a first instruction of the set of instructions and to perform at least a portion of the first instruction without writing a result of the first instruction.