Object-oriented processor architecture and operating method

Abstract

A class structure of an object-oriented program system is optimized for hardware and implemented as a hardware system in an object-oriented processor. For example, a class structure derived from a Java Virtual Machine software system is optimized for hardware and implemented as a hardware Java object-oriented processor. A processor is implemented by defining a data structure and an object-oriented instruction set for executing in the object-oriented operating environment, and generating a hardware implementation of the processor enforcing the logical relationships of the instruction set as defined by the data structure. The data structure includes a class structure. The class structure and the instruction set describe the processor operations. A processor includes an execution engine based on a class structure to execute instructions of an object-oriented instruction set. The instruction set uses pointers for indexing through data structures to define an object method for execution. At the top of the data structure is a class structure for selecting the static class for creating objects. Once the class is found by indexing through the class structure, a constant pool is accessed to supply information to further describe the data structures that are used for creating an object and executing an object method. A processor includes an execution unit and a memory. The memory stores a data structure including a class structure. Classifiers are selected by a program and loaded. The class structure directs the instantiation of the loaded classifiers into objects. The execution unit executes object methods directed by the class structure.

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