Method and system for facilitating byte ordering interfacing of a computer system

An encoded instruction executed by a data processing system comprising:

• a first portion defining a transfer operation of a given number of bytes of data between a first storage area in said system and a second storage area;
• a second portion providing address information utilized in said data transfer operation;
• a third portion indicating a byte ordering format of said data.

A method for performing data transfer operations between a first storage area in a system and a second storage area, wherein said data comprises a given number of bytes, said bytes of data having an associated order, said system being controlled by encoded instructions, said method comprising the steps of:

• performing multiple byte data transfer operations in which said data has multiple bytes, each of said multiple byte operations having an associated set of multiple byte instructions, each instruction in each set of said multiple byte instructions specifying a distinct byte order, where said order of said multiple bytes depends upon said specified byte order of said each multiple byte instruction;
• performing single byte data transfer operations in which said data has a single byte, each of said single byte operations having an associated set of single byte instructions, each instruction in each set of said single byte instructions having an associated distinct byte order, where said single byte is stored into said second storage area independent of said associated distinct byte order of said each single byte instruction.

In a system for performing data transfer operations between a first storage area in a system and a second storage area, wherein said data comprises a given number of bytes, said bytes of data having an associated order, said system being controlled by encoded instructions, a set of encoded instructions for a given data transfer operation comprising:

• a set of multiple byte data transfer instructions corresponding to said given data transfer operation when said data has multiple bytes, each instruction in said set of multiple byte instructions specifying a distinct byte order, where said order of said multiple bytes depends upon said specified byte order of said each multiple byte instruction;
• a set of single byte instructions corresponding to said given data transfer operation when said data has a single byte, each instruction in said set of single byte instructions having an associated distinct byte order, where said single byte is stored into said second storage area independent of said associated distinct byte order of said each single byte instruction.

In a system for performing data transfer operations between a first storage area in a system and a second storage area, wherein said data comprises a given number of bytes, said bytes of data having an associated order, said system being controlled by encoded instructions, said instructions indicating one of a single and multiple byte data transfer operation and an associated address offset within said second storage area, said system comprising:

• a means for computing an address utilized in said data transfer operations, said computing means being responsive to a first portion of said instructions;
• a means for generating a control signal responsive to a portion of said address and to a second portion of one of said instructions, wherein said second portion includes byte order information indicating a byte ordering format when said multiple byte transfer operations are performed;
• a means for rearranging said order of said multiple bytes during said data transfer operations in response to said control signal when said byte order information indicates a first byte ordering format and said means leaving said order of said multiple bytes the same during said data transfer operations when said byte order information indicates a second byte ordering format.