摘要:
Method and apparatus for managing access to registers that are outside a current register stack frame are disclosed. An instruction execution unit in a processor receives an instruction to be executed. A processor includes a register stack, the register stack including a plurality of register stack frames. Each of the register stack frames includes zero or more registers. One of the plurality of register stack frames is a current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires writing to a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit determines whether the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame. If the instruction execution unit determines that the register is not within the current register stack frame, the instruction execution unit does not execute the instruction and may, for example, generate a fault. The instruction execution unit executes the instruction is the instruction execution unit determines that the register is within the current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires reading from a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit executes the instruction whether or not the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame.
摘要:
A computer implemented method for switching from an interrupted context to an interrupting context in a processor is provided. The processor includes a register stack (RS) that has first and second portions. The processor includes a register stack engine (RSE) that exchanges information, in one of instruction execution dependent and independent modes between the second portion and a storage area. The method includes the following steps: a state of the RSE of the interrupted context is preserved; a COVER instruction is issued; a first (BSPSTORE) pointer is preserved. The first pointer points to a location in the storage area, of the interrupted context, where a next register of the second portion is to be written; first pointer is written with a value corresponding to the interrupting context; and a second pointer (BSP) is preserved. The new first and second pointers in the interrupting context define the storage area of RS values associated with the interrupted context. The new first pointer is subtracted from the second new pointer. The difference (number of dirty registers) is deposited into the RSC.loadrs field. A LOADRS instruction is issued to load the RS with all interrupted context values. The original first BSPSTORE is restored from the preserved BSPSTORE.
摘要:
A processor that is configured to execute a programmed flow of instructions is disclosed. The processor includes a register stack (RS). The register stack (RS) has a portion allocated for dirty registers. The processor also includes a register stack engine (RSE) to exchange information, in one of an instruction execution dependent and independent modes, between the RS and storage area. The processor also includes a flush control circuit to generate to the RSE, dependent of instruction execution a signal, in response to which, the RSE spills to the storage area all dirty registers, from the RS. A computer implemented method in a processor is also provided. The processor includes a register stack (RS) device that includes a portion allocated for dirty registers. The portion is defined by first and second physical register numbers. The processor further includes a register stack engine (RSE) to exchange information in one of an instruction execution dependent and independent modes between a storage area and the RS. The storage area is defined by first and second pointers. At step a, it is determined whether the first and second physical register numbers have a predetermined logical relationship relative to each other. At step b, it is stored by the RSE, a register of the portion of the RS to a first location in the storage area corresponding to the first pointer, if the first and second physical register numbers have a predetermined logical relationship relative to each other. At step c, it is pointed to a next location in the storage area and the first physical register number is incremented. Therefore, the RSE is synchronized with the instructions executed by the processor.
摘要:
A computer-implemented method of switching contexts in a processor is provided. The processor includes a register stack (RS) that has first and second portions. The processor includes a register stack engine (RSE) to exchange information, in one of instruction execution dependent and independent modes between the second portion and the storage area. The computer implemented method of switching contexts includes the following steps: It is determined whether an interrupt occurred; a first register (IFM) configured to store a content of a second register (CFM) is invalidated, the CFM is configured to store control information related to the first portion; it is determined whether an interrupt handler needs to access the RS; and if so, the IFM is validated, the content of the CFM is copied to the IFM, and RSE is caused to exchange information between both the first and second portions of the RS and the storage area. On return from interruption, if IFM is validated, CFM is restored from IFM else CFM remains unchanged. The COVER instruction enables lightweight interrupt handling in a processor with a Register Stack.
摘要:
Method and apparatus for managing access to registers that are outside a current register stack frame are disclosed. An instruction execution unit in a processor receives an instruction to be executed. A processor includes a register stack, the register stack including a plurality of register stack frames. Each of the register stack frames includes zero or more registers. One of the plurality of register stack frames is a current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires writing to a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit determines whether the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame. If the instruction execution unit determines that the register is not within the current register stack frame, the instruction execution unit does not execute the instruction and may, for example, generate a fault. The instruction execution unit executes the instruction is the instruction execution unit determines that the register is within the current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires reading from a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit executes the instruction whether or not the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame.
摘要:
Method and apparatus for managing access to registers that are outside a current register stack frame are disclosed. An instruction execution unit in a processor receives an instruction to be executed. A processor includes a register stack, the register stack including a plurality of register stack frames. Each of the register stack frames includes zero or more registers. One of the plurality of register stack frames is a current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires writing to a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit determines whether the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame. If the instruction execution unit determines that the register is not within the current register stack frame, the instruction execution unit does not execute the instruction and may, for example, generate a fault. The instruction execution unit executes the instruction is the instruction execution unit determines that the register is within the current register stack frame. When execution of the instruction requires reading from a register referenced by the instruction, the instruction execution unit executes the instruction whether or not the register referenced by the instruction is within the current register stack frame.
摘要:
A computer implemented method in a processor to perform a backing store switch from a first context (source context) to a second context (target context) is provided whereby the backing store memory image and RSE will be synchronized with the processor's execution of instructions. The processor includes a register stack (RS) device that includes a portion allocated for dirty registers. The portion is defined by first and second physical register numbers. The processor further includes a register stack engine (RSE) to exchange information in one of an instruction execution dependent and independent modes between a storage area and the RS. The processor further includes a FLUSHRS state machine to notify the RSE to store dirty register in the RS to a backing store located in a memory.
摘要:
A method for returning from an interrupting context to an interrupted context in a processor is disclosed. The processor executes a programmed flow of instructions. The processor includes a register stack (RS) and a register stack engine (RSE) to exchange information between the RS and the storage area. The method includes the following steps: (a.) A first pointer (PTR) is generated. The pointer (PTR) points to a location in the storage area where dirty registers (previously unsaved) of an interrupted context are stored; (b.) It is determined whether a mathematical relation is valid between the first pointer and the second pointer (BSPLOAD) to a location in the storage area from where the RSE is configured to load dirty register values into the RS; (c) The second pointer is caused to point to a next location in the storage area if the relation is valid; and (d) A register of the RS is loaded with a content of the next location in the storage area until the mathematical relation becomes invalid.
摘要:
The present invention provides a multiprocessor system and method in which plural memory locations are used for storing TLB-shootdown data respectively for plural processors. In contrast to systems in which a single area of memory serves for all processors' TLB-shootdown data, different processors can describe the memory they want to free concurrently. Thus, concurrent TLB-shootdown request are less likely to result in performance-limiting TLB-shootdown contentions that have previously constrained the scaleability of multiprocessor systems.
摘要:
A computer system comprises a physical computer and a virtual machine monitor executable on the physical computer and configured to create an emulation of at least one guest operating system adapted to control the physical computer. The computer system further comprises a host executable on the physical computer that manages physical resources coupled to the physical computer on behalf of the virtual machine monitor and the at least one guest operating system. The host is adapted to virtualize a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) configuration address space whereby the at least one guest operating system controls PCI input/output (I/O) devices directly and in absence of I/O emulation.