Instruction Execution Control with Dynamic Interception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data processors lack an efficient mechanism for dynamically intercepting and handling specific instructions during program execution, particularly when resources are unavailable, leading to potential performance issues and increased overhead in handling special cases.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that associate instructions with indications for interception, allowing the execution unit to determine whether to issue instructions directly for hardware execution or pause and perform alternative operations, facilitating dynamic interception and special handling with low overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If instructions are always issued directly to hardware units for execution, then execution speed is improved, but the ability to dynamically intercept and handle specific instructions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-associates indication information with instructions before execution. The execution unit checks this indication information during the decoding phase, allowing it to determine in advance whether an instruction should be intercepted or executed directly by hardware, thus maintaining high execution speed while enabling selective interception capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If instructions are intercepted and handled by the execution unit, then special treatment capability is improved, but execution overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The instruction execution process is segmented into two paths: a fast path for normal instructions that are executed directly by hardware units, and a special path for intercepted instructions that require execution unit handling. The indication information acts as a branch predictor, allowing the system to quickly determine which path to take without extensive checking overhead for every instruction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a microcontroller is used to emulate instruction execution, then flexibility is improved, but execution speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects the execution path for each instruction based on its indication information. Commonly executed instructions are configured to execute directly on hardware units for high speed, while less common instructions that require special handling are routed to the execution unit or microcontroller for emulation. This dynamic routing optimizes overall execution performance while maintaining flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
When executing a program on a data processor comprising an execution unit for executing instructions in a program to be executed by the data processor, the execution unit being associated with one or more hardware units operable to execute instructions, at least one instruction in a program is associated with an indication of whether the instruction should be issued directly for execution by a hardware unit or should be intercepted during its execution by the execution unit. The execution unit then, when decoding the instruction for execution by a hardware unit in the program, determines from the indication associated with the instruction whether the instruction should be issued directly for execution by a hardware unit or intercepted during its execution by the execution unit, and issues the instruction for execution by a hardware unit directly, or pauses execution of the instruction and performs another operation, accordingly.