Script instruction for jumping to a location, interpreting a predetermined number of instructions and then jumping back

• US 7,436,345 B1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Issued: 10/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IXYS Intl Limited (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ZiLOG Incorporated (Littelfuse Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vergis, George C., Provis, Adam P. G., Miramontes, Oscar C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US10/928,014
• Time in Patent Office: 1,509 Days
• Field of Search: 341/173, 341/176, 341/23, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.25, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 348/734, 398106-112, 717/115, 717/118, 717/139
• US Class Current: 341/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45508 Runtime interpretation or emulation, e g. emulator loops, bytecode interpretation

Abstract

A “call relative counted” script instruction is interpreted by a script interpreter of an eight-bit, register-based, virtual machine. In one embodiment, the script instruction has a first argument field and a second argument field. Interpreting the script instruction causes a jump to a location identified by a label in the first argument field. After a number of script instructions identified by the second argument have been interpreted, the interpreting of script instructions automatically returns to the next script instruction after the call relative counted script instruction. In one example, the first argument is a label, the label in turn identifying the location to jump to. In another example, the first argument directly indicates the location to jump to. The instruction is useful in allowing multiple higher-level scripts to reuse different parts of a common lower-level block of script. The common block performs a common function required by the higher-level scripts.

Claims

1. A method of a processor performing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, the method comprising:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction disposed at the first location, the second location being identified by the first script instruction, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location, wherein the first script instruction includes an indication of a number of script instructions;

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location.

2. The method of claim of claim 1, wherein each of the first location, the second location, and the third location is a one-byte location in a memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the script instruction includes an argument field, the argument field containing an address that identifies the second location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the number of script instructions interpreted in (b) is the last script instruction interpreted, and wherein said last script instruction is not a function call RETURN script instruction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor comprises an eight-bit processor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the script instruction is interpreted such that a jump is made to a block of script, the block of script being a block of script which when interpreted causes a common function to be performed, the common function being a function required in generating operational signals in accordance with at least one codeset.

4. A method of a processor performing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, the method comprising:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction which is disposed at the first location, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location, wherein the first script instruction includes a set of argument fields, the set of argument fields including an argument field containing an indication of a number of script instructions and an argument field containing a reference to a storage location, the storage location storing a label, the label identifying the second location, and wherein the set of argument fields does not include an argument field identifying a return location.

5. A method of a processor performing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, the method comprising:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction which is disposed at the first location, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location,

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location, wherein the first script instruction includes an argument field containing an indication of a number of script instructions and an argument field containing a label, the label identifying the second location.

8. A method of a processor performing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, the method comprising:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction which is disposed at the first location, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location,

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location,

wherein the processor is part of a remote control device, and the remote control device transmits an operational signal to control an electronic consumer device.

10. A computer-readable medium storing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, interpretation of the script by the script interpreter causing:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction disposed at the first location, the second location being identified by the first script instruction, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location, wherein the first script instruction includes an indication of a number of script instructions;

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location.

11. A method comprising:

providing a first portion of a script, the first portion of script causing a device to output an operational signal in accordance with a first protocol, the first portion of script containing a first script instruction; and

providing a second portion of script, the second portion of script causing the device to output a second operational signal in accordance with a second protocol, the second portion of script containing a second script instruction, wherein the first script instruction causes a first jump to a third portion of script such that a first predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion are interpreted and then automatically causes a first return jump back to the first portion independent of identification of the first portion by a last interpreted instruction in the first predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion, and wherein the second script instruction causes a second jump to the third portion of script such that a second predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion are interpreted and then automatically causes a second return jump back to the second portion independent of identification of the second portion by a last interpreted instruction in the second predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first predetermined number and the second predetermined number are identical.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first predetermined number and the second predetermined number are different.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein interpreting of the first script instruction causes the first jump to a first location in the third portion of script, the first location being identified by the first script instruction, and wherein interpreting of the second script instruction causes the second jump to a second location in the third portion of the script, the second location being identified by the second script instruction.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first location and the second location are different locations.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the third portion of script performs a codeset bit encoding function.

17. A method of a processor performing a script instruction that is interpretable by a script interpreter, the method comprising:

(a) jumping from a first location in a script to a second location in the script, wherein the script instruction is a first script instruction disposed at the first location, the second location being identified by the first script instruction, a second script instruction being disposed at the second location, wherein the first script instruction includes an indication of a number of script instructions;

(b) sequentially interpreting the number of indicated script instructions starting with and including the second script instruction; and

(c) after the number of script instructions has been sequentially interpreted, then automatically returning to a third location, the third location being a location that immediately follows the first location, wherein the processor does not execute a real-time operating system, wherein the script is interpreted by a virtual machine, and wherein the virtual machine comprises a script interpreter and a processor.

18. A method comprising:

providing a first portion of a script, the first portion of script causing a device to output an operational signal in accordance with a first protocol, the first portion of script containing a first script instruction; and

providing a second portion of script, the second portion of script causing the device to output a second operational signal in accordance with a second protocol, the second portion of script containing a second script instruction, wherein the first script instruction causes a first jump to a third portion of script such that a first predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion are interpreted and then automatically causes a first return jump back to the first portion independent of identification of the first portion by a last interpreted instruction in the first predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion, and wherein the second script instruction causes a second jump to the third portion of script such that a second predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion are interpreted and then automatically causes a second return jump back to the second portion independent of identification of the second portion by a last interpreted instruction in the second predetermined number of script instructions of the third portion, wherein the protocol is taken from the group consisting of;

an encoding protocol for encoding a digital bit, a modulation protocol for modulating a data signal onto a carrier frequency, a keypad encoding protocol for encoding a signal from a pressed key, and a transmission protocol for transmitting data over an infrared signal.