Method and apparatus for removing a pipeline bubble

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for augmenting a pipeline with a bubble-removal circuit, wherein the pipeline comprises a first register, a pipeline stage logic, and a second register, wherein an output of the second register is coupled to an input of the pipeline stage logic, and an output of the pipeline stage logic is coupled to an input of the first register, and wherein the first register advances data if the first register's clock signal is not blocked, the method comprising:

• generating a bubble-removal circuit which determines a clock-enable signal based at least on whether the second register has valid data and whether the pipeline is stalled;
• and
• gating the first register's clock signal using the clock-enable signal.

An apparatus for augmenting a pipeline with a bubble-removal circuit, wherein the pipeline comprises a first register, a pipeline stage logic, and a second register, wherein an output of the second register is coupled to an input of the pipeline stage logic, and an output of the pipeline stage logic is coupled to an input of the first register, and wherein the first register advances data if the first register's clock signal is not blocked, the apparatus comprising:

• a generating mechanism configured to generate a bubble-removal circuit which determines a clock-enable signal based at least on whether the second register has valid data and whether the pipeline is stalled;
• and
• a gating mechanism configured to gate the first register's clock signal using the clock-enable signal.