Apparatus and Method for Managing Denormal Values in a Processor

A processor, comprising:

• a decoder to decode instructions of a program code sequence into mircooperations (uops);
• a control register to store one or more bits related to denormal processing;
• uop morphing circuitry to generate or select a first type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate no possibility of denormals or when a likelihood of denormals is determined to be below a threshold, and is to generate or select a second type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate a likelihood of denormals above the threshold;
• and
• execution circuitry to execute the first type of multiply uop to generate a result or to execute the second type of multiply uop, handling any denormals in hardware, to generate the result.

A method, comprising:

• decoding instructions of a program code sequence into mircooperations (uops);
• storing in a control register one or more bits related to denormal processing;
• generating or selecting a first type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate no possibility of denormals or when a likelihood of denormals is determined to be below a threshold;
• generating or selecting a second type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate a likelihood of denormals above the threshold;
• and
• executing the first type of multiply uop to generate a result or executing the second type of multiply uop, handling any denormals in hardware, to generate the result.

A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform additional operations, comprising:

• decoding instructions of a program code sequence into mircooperations (uops);
• storing in a control register one or more bits related to denormal processing;
• generating or selecting a first type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate no possibility of denormals or when a likelihood of denormals is determined to be below a threshold;
• generating or selecting a second type of multiply uop when the one or more bits indicate a likelihood of denormals above the threshold;
• and
• executing the first type of multiply uop to generate a result or executing the second type of multiply uop, handling any denormals in hardware, to generate the result.