Weighted instruction count scheduling
AssigneeNetLogic Microsystems, Inc.
InventorsAbbas Rashid, David T. Hass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system are provided for performing efficient and effective scheduling in a multi-threaded system. Dynamic control of scheduling is provided, in which priority weights can be assigned for some or all of the threads in the multi-threaded system. The priority weights are employed to control prioritization of threads and thread instructions by a scheduler. An instruction count for each thread is used in combination with the priority weights to determine the prioritization order in which instructions are fetched and assigned to execution units for processing.
Claims20
A processor, comprising:
- an instruction fetch unit to fetch instructions generated by a plurality of threads;
- and
- a thread scheduler to generate a schedule for fetches by the instruction fetch unit based at least in part on priority values assigned to the plurality of threads, wherein a priority value assigned to a thread from the plurality of threads is computed by adjusting an instruction count for the thread using a priority weighting for the thread.
A method comprising:
- receiving an instruction count for a thread from a plurality of threads executing in a processor;
- receiving a priority weighting for the thread;
- generating a schedule for fetching instructions associated with the plurality of threads based at least in part on priority values assigned to the plurality of threads, wherein a priority value assigned to the thread is computed by adjusting the instruction count using the priority weighting;
- and
- fetching the instructions for execution using the schedule.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.