Mapping requests from a processing unit that uses memory-mapped input-output space

A method of writing information from a central processing unit that uses memory-mapped input-output space, the method comprising:

• sending a request from the central processing unit to an address in the input-output space, wherein the address is associated with a destination in an bus interface unit;
• converting the address and a command type associated with the request to a corresponding command having a format used for communications between an engine in the bus interface unit and one or more micro-coded processing engines, wherein the micro-coded processing engines support multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• executing the command in the engine in the bus interface unit;
• and
• writing the information to the destination in the bus interface unit in response to executing the command.

A method of writing information from a central processing unit that uses memory-mapped input-output space, the method comprising:

• sending a request from the central processing unit to an address in the input-output space, wherein the address is associated with a destination in a micro-coded processing engine;
• converting the address and a command type associated with the request to a corresponding command in a format used for communications between an engine in a bus interface unit and the micro-coded processing engine, wherein micro-coded processing engine supports multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• executing the command in the engine in the bus interface unit;
• and
• writing the information to the destination in the micro-coded processing engine in response to executing the command.

A method of providing information from a bus interface unit to a central processing unit that uses memory-mapped input-output space, the method comprising:

• sending a request from the central processing unit to an address in the input-output space, wherein the address is associated with a location in the bus interface unit;
• converting the address and a command type associated with the request to a corresponding command having a format used for communications between an engine in the bus interface unit and one or more micro-coded processing engines, wherein the micro-coded processing engines support multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• executing the command in the engine in the bus interface unit;
• and
• providing the information to the central processing unit in response to executing the command.

A method of providing information from a micro-coded processing engine to a central processing unit that uses memory-mapped input-output space, the method comprising:

• sending a request from the central processing unit to an address in the input-output space, wherein the address is associated with a location in the micro-coded processing engine;
• converting the address and a command type associated with the request to a corresponding command having a format used for communications between an engine in a bus interface unit and the micro-coded processing engine, wherein the micro-coded processing engine supports multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• executing the command in the engine in the bus interface unit;
• and
• providing the information to the central processing unit in response to executing the command.

A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor comprising:

• a central processing unit that coordinates system functions and that uses memory-mapped input-output space;
• micro-coded processing engines that support multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• a bus interface unit;
• a first bus coupled to the central processing unit;
• and
• a second bus coupled to the micro-coded processing engines;
• and
• a translator unit coupled between the first bus and the second bus to convert a request that is addressed to the input-output space of the central processing unit to a corresponding command that simulates operations between the bus interface unit and the micro-coded processing units.

An article comprising a computer-readable medium which stores computer-executable instructions for causing a computer system to:

• convert a request addressed to input-output space of a central processing unit to a corresponding command that simulates an operation between components in a multithreaded processing domain, wherein the multithreaded processing domain includes micro-coded processing engines that support multiple threads, the threads are simultaneously active but only one thread is in operation at any one time;
• execute the command in the multithreaded processing domain;
• and
• cause information to be accessed according to the request in response to executing the command.