Translation of a series of computer instructions

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium that includes a computer program for performing a method of distributing a series of instructions executed by an interpreter program on a single processor to a plurality of processors, the method comprising acts of:

• splitting the series of instructions into sections having a plurality of alternative boundaries;
• assigning the sections to respective processors having a native instruction set with a better execution cost factor for execution of the series of instructions of the assigned section than that of the interpreter program to reduce the execution cost when native instructions are used;
• translating the instructions from each of the sections into native instructions for the respective processors;
• and
• appending operand transfer instructions to the sections to support data dependencies between the sections,
• wherein a boundary between the assigned sections is selected from among the plurality of alternative boundaries so as to reduce an aggregate of execution cost factors of the instructions as implemented and including costs for the operand transfer instructions.

A data processing apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to distribute a series of instructions for execution by an interpreter program on a single processor to a plurality of processors;
• a translation device arranged to:
• split the series of instructions into sections having a plurality of alternative boundaries;
• assign the sections to respective processors having a native instruction set with a better execution cost factor for execution of the series of instructions of the assigned section than that of the interpreter program to reduce the execution cost when native instructions are used;
• translate instructions from each of the sections into native instructions for the respective processors;
• and
• append operand transfer instructions to the sections to support data dependencies between the sections,
• wherein a boundary between the assigned sections is selected from among the plurality of alternative boundaries so as to reduce an aggregate of execution cost factors of the instructions as implemented, including costs for the operand transfer instructions.