Method for rapid interpretation of results returned by a parallel compare instruction
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorLawrence Spracklen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for rapidly mapping a bitmask returned by a Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) computer compare instruction is provided. A user supplied partitioned mapping variable includes multiple mapping elements. Each of the multiple mapping elements is applied to the inputs of a different one of multiple digital multiplexers. The bitmask returned by the SIMD compare instruction is applied to the selects or all of the multiple digital multiplexers. Each multiplexer outputs one bit, as selected by the bitmask, from the respective mapping element applied to each multiplexer. The one bit outputs are accumulated in a mapped output variable as a mapped bitmask.
Claims9
A method for the rapid interpretation of the results returned by a multi-way SIMD compare instruction comprising:
- providing a compare bitmask returned by a multi-way, SIMD compare instruction;
- providing M digital multiplexers, wherein M equals a positive integer greater than 1, each of said multiplexers having M2 inputs, M selects and one bit output;
- reading said compare bitmask having M bits;
- supplying an M3-bit wide variable, said M3-bit wide variable being virtually partitioned at M2-bit wide boundaries into M mapping elements;
- applying each of said M bits of said compare bitmask to a different one of said M selects of all of said M multiplexers;
- applying each of said M mapping elements to said M2 inputs of a different one of said M multiplexers;
- and
- writing each of said one bit output of said M multiplexers to a different one of M bits making up a mapped bitmask.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.