Cellular automaton cache method and apparatus
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorJohn W. Mates
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cellular automaton cache memory architecture. On a general-purpose processor, a cache memory is provided to store instructions and data for use by the processor. The cache memory is further capable of storing data representing a first state of a cellular automaton at a first time step, where the data is organized in cells. A cellular automaton update unit provides data from selected cells of the cellular automaton to an update engine. The update engine updates at least some of the selected cells according to an update rule and a state of any associated neighborhood cells to provide a state of the cellular automaton at a second time step.
Claims29
A processor comprising:
- a first memory to store instructions and data for use by the processor, the first memory further to store data representing a first state of a cellular automaton at a first time step, the data to be organized in cells;
- a first update engine;
- and
- a cellular automaton update unit to provide data from selected cells of the cellular automaton to the first update engine,
- the first update engine to update at least some of the selected cells according to an update rule and a state of any associated neighborhood cells to provide a state of the cellular automaton at a second time step.
A microprocessor comprising:
- a cache memory hierarchy including at least two levels of cache memory, a first level of the cache memory to store data representing a first state of a cellular automaton at a first time step, the data being organized in cells;
- an execution cluster including at least a first execution unit to execute microprocessor instructions;
- and
- a cellular automaton update unit, the cellular automaton update unit to provide data associated with cells of the cellular automaton to the first execution unit, the first execution unit to update each cell to be updated in the cellular automaton in response to an update rule and in response to a state of any associated neighborhood cells at the first time step to provide a second state of the cellular automaton at a second time step.
A method comprising:
- storing data representing a state of a cellular automaton at a first time step in a memory of a general-purpose processor;
- rasterizing a portion of the stored data, the portion including at least data associated with a cell to be updated and associated neighborhood cells;
- updating the cell to be updated according to an update rule and a state of the associated neighborhood cells at the first time step;
- and
- repeating rasterizing and updating until all cells to be updated have been updated such that a state of a cellular automaton at a second time step is provided.
A system comprising:
- a bus to communicate information;
- a device coupled to the bus to enable access to a medium storing an application including a cellular automaton;
- and
- a general-purpose processor coupled to the bus to execute the application, the general-purpose processor including:
- a memory to store data representing a state of the cellular automaton at a first time step, the data being organized in cells,
- an execution cluster including a first execution unit;
- and
- a cellular automaton update unit to provide data associated with cells of the cellular automaton to the first execution unit, the first execution unit to update each cell to be updated in the cellular automaton in response to an update rule and in response to a state of any associated neighborhood cells at the first time step to provide a second state of the cellular automaton at a second time step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.