Zero overhead looping by a decoder generating and enqueuing a branch instruction
First Claim
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1. A method in a processor, comprising:
- identifying, by a decoder, a loop instruction;
identifying, by the decoder, a last instruction in a loop body that corresponds to the loop instruction;
generating, by the decoder, a branch instruction that returns execution to a beginning of the loop body; and
enqueuing, by the decoder, the branch instruction into a branch reservation queue concurrently with an enqueuing of the last instruction in a reservation queue.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for zero overheard loops is provided herein. The method includes the steps of identifying, by a decoder, a loop instruction and identifying, by the decoder, a last instruction in a loop body that corresponds to the loop instruction. The method further includes the steps of generating, by the decoder, a branch instruction that returns execution to a beginning of the loop body, and enqueing, by the decoder, the branch instruction into a branch reservation queue concurrently with an enqueing of the last instruction in a reservation queue.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method in a processor, comprising:
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identifying, by a decoder, a loop instruction; identifying, by the decoder, a last instruction in a loop body that corresponds to the loop instruction; generating, by the decoder, a branch instruction that returns execution to a beginning of the loop body; and enqueuing, by the decoder, the branch instruction into a branch reservation queue concurrently with an enqueuing of the last instruction in a reservation queue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus, comprising:
a decoder configured to identify a loop instruction, identify a last instruction in a loop body corresponding to the loop instruction, generate a branch instruction that returns execution to a beginning of the loop body, and enqueue the branch instruction into a branch reservation queue concurrently with an enqueuing of the last instruction in the loop body in a reservation queue. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
Specification