Abstract:
A processor includes a trace unit to monitor activity by the processor and generate trace packets indicative of the activity by the processor. The trace packets may include four additional packets for processor event tracing including: a dormant state request packet, a code execution stop packet, a dormant state entry packet, and a dormant state exit packet.
Abstract:
A heterogeneous processor architecture and a method of booting a heterogeneous processor is described. A processor according to one embodiment comprises: a set of large physical processor cores; a set of small physical processor cores having relatively lower performance processing capabilities and relatively lower power usage relative to the large physical processor cores; and a package unit, to enable a bootstrap processor. The bootstrap processor initializes the homogeneous physical processor cores, while the heterogeneous processor presents the appearance of a homogeneous processor to a system firmware interface.
Abstract:
Techniques for enabling a rapid clock frequency transition are described. An example of a computing device includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) that includes a core and noncore components. The computing device also includes a dual mode FIFO that processes data transactions between the core and noncore components. The computing device also includes a frequency control unit that can instruct the core to transition to a new clock frequency. During the transition to the new clock frequency, the dual mode FIFO continues to process data transactions between the core and noncore components.
Abstract:
Technologies for local power gate (LPG) interfaces for power-aware operations are described. A system on chip (SoC) includes a first functional unit, a second functional unit, and local power gate (LPG) hardware coupled to the first functional unit and the second functional unit. The LPG hardware is to power gate the first functional unit according to local power states of the LPG hardware. The second functional unit decodes a first instruction to perform a first power-aware operation of a specified length, including computing an execution code path for execution. The second functional unit monitors a current local power state of the LPG hardware, selects a code path based on the current local power state, the specified length, and a specified threshold, and issues a hint to the LPG hardware to power up the first functional unit and continues execution of the first power-aware operation without waiting for the first functional unit to be powered up.
Abstract:
In some disclosed embodiments instruction execution logic provides conditional memory fault assist suppression. Some embodiments of processors comprise a decode stage to decode one or more instruction specifying: a set of memory operations, one or more register, and one or more memory address. One or more execution units, responsive to the one or more decoded instruction, generate said one or more memory address for the set of memory operations. Instruction execution logic records one or more fault suppress bits to indicate whether one or more portion of the set of memory operations are masked. Fault generation logic is suppressed from considering a memory fault corresponding to a faulting one of the set of memory operations when said faulting one of the set of memory operations corresponds to a portion of the set of memory operations that is indicated as masked by said one or more fault suppress bits.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are described for detecting and correcting data fetch errors within a processor core. For example, one embodiment of an instruction processing apparatus for detecting and recovering from data fetch errors comprises: at least one processor core having a plurality of instruction processing stages including a data fetch stage and a retirement stage; and error processing logic in communication with the processing stages to perform the operations of: detecting an error associated with data in response to a data fetch operation performed by the data fetch stage; and responsively performing one or more operations to ensure that the error does not corrupt an architectural state of the processor core within the retirement stage.
Abstract:
A processor of an aspect includes a decode unit to decode a user-level suspend thread instruction that is to indicate a first alternate state. The processor also includes an execution unit coupled with the decode unit. The execution unit is to perform the instruction at a user privilege level. The execution unit in response to the instruction, is to: (a) suspend execution of a user-level thread, from which the instruction is to have been received; (b) transition a logical processor, on which the user-level thread was to have been running, to the indicated first alternate state; and (c) resume the execution of the user-level thread, when the logical processor is in the indicated first alternate state, with a latency that is to be less than half a latency that execution of a thread can be resumed when the logical processor is in a halt processor power state.
Abstract:
An apparatus and method are described for detecting and correcting data fetch errors within a processor core. For example, one embodiment of an instruction processing apparatus for detecting and recovering from data fetch errors comprises: at least one processor core having a plurality of instruction processing stages including a data fetch stage and a retirement stage; and error processing logic in communication with the processing stages to perform the operations of: detecting an error associated with data in response to a data fetch operation performed by the data fetch stage; and responsively performing one or more operations to ensure that the error does not corrupt an architectural state of the processor core within the retirement stage.
Abstract:
A system for communication using a register management array circuit is disclosed, including a processor, including a processing core, the processing core including a local core register, a register management array circuit coupled to the local core register, and a remote circuit coupled to the register management array circuit, the remote circuit including a remote register. The register management array circuit includes circuitry to cause the data in the local core register to match the data in the remote register. Methods and circuits are also disclosed.
Abstract:
In an embodiment, a processor includes multiple cores and a power controller. The power controller may include a hardware duty cycle (HDC) logic to cause at least one logical processor of one of the cores to enter into a forced idle state even though the logical processor has a workload to execute. In addition, the HDC logic may cause the logical processor to exit the forced idle state prior to an end of an idle period if at least one other logical processor is prevented from entry into the forced idle state. Other embodiments are described and claimed.