US 4,077,058 AGranted

Method and apparatus for executing an extended decor instruction

AssigneeCompagnie Honeywell Bull

InventorsMarc Appell, Jacques Michel Jean Bienvenu, Jean-Claude Marcel Cassonnet, Georges Lepicard

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Abstract

A multiprogrammable/multiprocessing digital computer system having a process control block for each process in the system, wherein each process control block includes information which specifies the state of a processor at any given time. Associated with each process control block is a decor extension table having information to indicate whether a specified function, such as the emulation of another processor, may be executed in the system. A native mode instruction indicating a specified function for either one instruction or for a plurality of instructions, is first checked to determine proper format, after which a determination is made by means of the decor extension table, as to whether or not the system is capable of executing the specified function indicated by the native mode instruction. If such native mode is not erroneous and if there is a positive indication of executability of the specified function by the system, then the particular specified function, such as the emulation mode of another processor, is activated.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A data processing system comprising:

A. means for receiving an instruction designating the switching of the operating mode of a process from a first mode to a specified function in a second mode, wherein said first mode is the native mode of said system during which processes are executed in the normal manner intended by said system, and wherein said second mode is the non-native mode of said system;
B. a plurality of first means for indicating, the contents of each of which indicate the operational state of a said process at any specified time, said plurality of said first means for indicating equal in number to the number of processes included and capable of execution in said system;
C. a plurality of second means responsive to said means for receiving for indicating the executability of said specified function in said system, wherein each of said second means for indicating includes a plurality of indicia, each for indicating the executability of different specified functions in said system, wherein said specified function is indicated by a number in a first portion of said instruction;
D means for addressing said second means for indicating with a first portion of the contents of said first means for indicating;
E. means coupled to said means for receiving for addressing one of said indicia in the addressed second means for indicating by the number indicated in said first portion of the contents of said instruction;
F. means for activating said specified function for said process in said second mode if said second means for indicating indicates that said specified function is executable in said system;
G. means for generating a first signal if the number indicated by said first portion of the contents of said instruction is greater than a number indicated by a portion of the contents of said first means for indicating;
and
H. means, responsive to said first signal, for disabling said means for activating such that said specified function for said process in said non-native mode will not be executed in said system.

6 more elements

A multiprogrammable/multiprocessing digital computer system comprising:

A. a plurality of process control blocks, one for each process in said system, each of said blocks including information relative to the operational state of a process at a specified time;
B. a plurality of decor extension tables, each of said tables including a plurality of indicia, each said indicia indicating whether said system includes the capability for executing a specified operation for the associated process in said system;
C. means for receiving a native mode instruction designating the switching of the processing mode of a process from a native mode to a non-native mode, said instruction having first and second portions, said first portion including a number indicating the particular specified operation to be executed in said system, and said second portion including information indicating an instruction or group of instructions which are to be executed in said non-native mode;
D. means for selecting the one of said process control blocks associated with a process presently being executed in said system, each of said process control blocks including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion indicating the address of an associated decor extension table and said second portion includingg a number indicating the number of indicia in said decor extension table;
E. means for addressing said associated decor extension table by means of the address included in the first portion of said selected process control block;
F. means for addressing one of said indicia of the addressed decor extension table by means of the number included in the first portion of said native mode instruction;
and
G. means for activating said specified operation in said non-native mode if the addressed indicia in the addressed decor extension table indicates that said system includes the capability for executing said specified operation for the associated process in said system.

5 more elements

A data processing system having a plurality of process control blocks, equal in number to the number of processes in said system, each of said blocks having contents some of which indicate the state of a process at any given time;

a plurality of decor extension tables, each of said tables including a plurality of indicia for indicating the capability of said system to execute one of a plurality of predetermined operations for an associated process in said system, selection apparatus for selecting one of said process control blocks and addressing apparatus for addressing one of said tables with the selected one of said blocks ,said system including a machine implemented process having the method steps of:
A. selecting by means of said selection apparatus the one of said process control blocks associated with the presently active process in said system;
B. receiving a first instruction having a number in a first portion for indicating one of said predetermined operations;
C. addressing by means of said addressing apparatus one of said decor extension tables by means of the contents of said selected process control block;
D. addressing one of said indicia in said addressed decor extension table by means of said number in said first portion of said first instruction;
and
E. activating said predetermined operation indicated by said first portion of said first instruction if said addressed one of said indicia indicates that said predetermined operation is executable for the associated process in said system.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.