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US 2019/0056933 A1Published application
Processing vector instructions
AssigneeArm Limited
InventorThomas Christopher GROCUTT
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processing circuitry (4) performs multiple beats of processing in response to a vector instruction, each beat comprising processing corresponding to a portion of a vector value comprising multiple data elements. The processing circuitry (4) sets beat status information (22) indicating which beats of a group of two or more vector instructions have completed. In response to a return-from-event request indicating a return to processing of the given vector instruction, the processing circuitry (4) resumes processing of the group of uncompleted vector instructions while suppressing beats already completed, based on the beat status information (22).
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- processing circuitry to process vector instructions for which at least one of a source operand and a result value is a vector value comprising a plurality of data elements;
- wherein in response to a given vector instruction, the processing circuitry is configured to perform a plurality of beats of processing, each beat comprising processing corresponding to a portion of the vector value;
- the processing circuitry is configured to set beat status information indicative of which beats of a plurality of vector instructions including said given vector instruction have completed;
- in response to an event, the processing circuitry is configured to suspend processing of said given vector instruction;
- and
- in response to a return-from-event request indicating a return to processing of said given vector instruction, the processing circuitry is configured to resume processing of said plurality of vector instructions while suppressing the beats of said plurality of vector instructions indicated by said beat status information as having completed;
- wherein the vector value comprises data elements having one of a plurality of data element sizes specified by data element size information accessible to the processing circuitry;
- and
- each beat of processing comprises processing corresponding to a fixed size portion of the vector value, irrespective of the data element size indicated by said data element size information.
6 more elements
An apparatus comprising:
- means for processing vector instructions for which at least one of a source operand and a result value is a vector value comprising a plurality of data elements;
- wherein in response to a given vector instruction, the means for processing is configured to perform a plurality of beats of processing, each beat comprising processing corresponding to a portion of the vector value;
- the means for processing is configured to set beat status information indicative of which beats of a plurality of vector instructions including said given vector instruction have completed;
- in response to an event, the means for processing is configured to suspend processing of said given vector instruction;
- and
- in response to a return-from-event request indicating a return to processing of said given vector instruction, the means for processing is configured to resume processing of said plurality of vector instructions while suppressing the beats of said plurality of vector instructions indicated by said beat status information as having completed;
- wherein the vector value comprises data elements having one of a plurality of data element sizes specified by data element size information accessible to the means for processing;
- and
- each beat of processing comprises processing corresponding to a fixed size portion of the vector value, irrespective of the data element size indicated by said data element size information.
6 more elements
A method of processing vector instructions for which at least one of a source operand and a result value is a vector value comprising a plurality of data elements;
- the method comprising:
- in response to a given vector instruction, performing a plurality of beats of processing, each beat comprising processing corresponding to a portion of the vector value;
- setting beat status information indicative of which beats of a plurality of vector instructions including said given vector instruction have completed;
- in response to an event, suspending processing of said given vector instruction;
- and
- in response to a return-from-event request indicating a return to processing of said given vector instruction, resuming processing of said plurality of vector instructions while suppressing the beats of said plurality of vector instructions indicated by said beat status information as having completed;
- wherein the vector value comprises data elements having one of a plurality of data element sizes specified by data element size information;
- and
- each beat of processing comprises processing corresponding to a fixed size portion of the vector value, irrespective of the data element size indicated by said data element size information.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.