Parallel multithreaded processor with plural microengines executing multiple threads each microengine having loadable microcode

• US 6,606,704 B1
• Filed: 08/31/1999
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Wolrich, Gilbert, Wheeler, William, Adiletta, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US09/387,111
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 712/10-22, 712/225, 712/228, 712/248
• US Class Current: 712/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/8015 One dimensional arrays, e.g. rings, linear arrays, buses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3004 to perform operations on memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30076 to perform miscellaneous control operations, e.g. NOP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3012 Organisation of register space, e.g. banked or distributed register file
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30127 Register windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3824 Operand accessing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3834 Maintaining memory consistency
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3842 Speculative instruction execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/3851 from multiple instruction streams, e.g. multistreaming

Abstract

A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor is described. The processor includes a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions and a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads. The processor also includes a memory control system that has a first memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory and a second memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references.

Claims

1. A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor comprises:

a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads, each microengine comprising;

a plurality of program counters;

with the microengines maintaining states associated with the program counters to enable a plurality of sets of threads of computer instructions to be simultaneously active on each of the microengines while one actually executes at any one time;

a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions, the general purpose processor loading microcontrol programs for the plurality of microcontrol engines; and

a first bus to couple the general purpose processor to the plurality of microengines.

2. The processor of claim 1 further comprising a memory control system.

3. The processor of claim 2 wherein the memory control system comprises a synchronous dynamic random access memory controller that sorts memory references based on whether the memory references are directed to an even bank or an odd bank of memory;

and

a static random access memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references.

4. The processor of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of microengines use the program counters to enable hardware-based context swapping amongst the plurality of threads that are independently executable within each of the microengines.

5. The processor of claim 1 further comprising an bus interface that couples the processor to a communication bus.

6. The processor of claim 1 further comprising a bus interface that couples the processor to a computer system bus.

7. The processor of claim 1 further comprising:

an internal bus arrangement to couple shared resources in the processor to the plurality of microengines.

8. A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor comprises:

a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads, each microengine comprising;

a plurality of program counters;

with the microengines maintaining states associated with the program counters to enable a plurality of sets of threads of computer instructions to be simultaneously active on each of the microengines while one actually executes at any one time;

a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions, the general purpose processor loading microcontrol programs for the plurality of microcontrol engines;

a media access controller device coupled to an interface; and

a first bus to couple the general purpose processor, the plurality of microengines, and the interface.

9. A parallel hardware-based multithreaded processor comprises:

a general purpose processor that coordinates system functions; and

a plurality of microengines that support multiple hardware threads, the microengines comprising;

a control store to store a microprogram;

the microprogram loadable by the general purpose processor;

controller logic including an instruction decoder and program counter unit to execute the microprogram; and

a plurality of program counters;

with the microengines maintaining states associated with the program counters to enable a plurality of sets of threads of computer instructions to be simultaneously active on each of the microengines while one actually executes at any one time.

10. The processor of claim 9 further comprising a memory control system.

11. The processor of claim 10 wherein the memory control system comprises a static random access memory controller that optimizes memory references based upon whether the memory references are read references or write references.

12. The processor of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of microengines employ hardware-based context swapping amongst a plurality of threads that are independently executable within each of the microengines.

13. The processor of claim 9 further comprising a bus interface that couples the processor to a computer system bus.

14. The processor of claim 9 further comprising an internal bus arrangement to couple shared resources in the processor to the plurality of microengines wherein the internal bus arrangement to couple shared resources, comprises:

a translator device that translates requests from the general purpose processor to the microengines; and

a first bus to couple the general purpose processor to the plurality of microengines; and

a second bus to couple the general purpose processor to the memory control system.

15. The processor of claim 9 further comprising an internal bus arrangement to couple shared resources in the processor to the plurality of microengines wherein the shared resources comprise:

a memory controller for controlling access to low latency memory;

a memory controller for controlling an access to high bandwidth memory;

a bus interface for controlling access to a communications bus; and

a bus interface for controlling access to a computer bus.

16. The processor of claim 9 wherein the processor supports global signaling to each of the microengines.

17. The processor of claim 16 wherein the global signaling is available to each thread to permit each thread in each microengine.