Bit Range Isolation Instruction for Processor Data Processing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bit manipulation instructions, such as the EXTR instruction, face limitations in speed and efficiency due to shifting operations and reliance on table lookups, which hinder quick and efficient data processing.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of bit range isolation instructions that allow for the isolation of a range of bits by zeroing or discarding unwanted bits without shifting, thereby enhancing processing speed and efficiency by eliminating unnecessary operations like table lookups.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the EXTR instruction is used to extract and right shift the extracted bit field in a single instruction, then bit extraction and alignment are achieved, but processing speed and efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the bit manipulation task into two separate operations: first extracting the bit field using the EXTR instruction, then separately right-shifting the extracted data using a shift instruction. This segmentation allows each operation to be optimized independently and eliminates the performance bottleneck of combined extraction-and-shift operations, thereby improving overall processing speed while maintaining operational simplicity.
2Ease of operation
If table lookup is used for bit manipulation, then complex bit operations are simplified, but instruction latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical table lookup mechanism with direct bit manipulation instructions (EXTR followed by shift). Instead of searching through a pre-computed table to find the result of bit extraction and shifting, the processor directly performs the bit operations using dedicated instructions. This substitution eliminates the inherent latency of table lookup while maintaining the simplicity of the operation, significantly reducing instruction execution time.
Data Source
AI summary
Receiving an instruction indicating a source operand and a destination operand. Storing a result in the destination operand in response to the instruction. The result operand may have: (1) first range of bits having a first end explicitly specified by the instruction in which each bit is identical in value to a bit of the source operand in a corresponding position; and (2) second range of bits that all have a same value regardless of values of bits of the source operand in corresponding positions. Execution of instruction may complete without moving the first range of the result relative to the bits of identical value in the corresponding positions of the source operand, regardless of the location of the first range of bits in the result. Execution units to execute such instructions, computer systems having processors to execute such instructions, and machine-readable medium storing such an instruction are also disclosed.