Load Instruction Division for Compute-Intensive Workloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computing devices face performance bottlenecks due to memory-bound workloads that limit compute-intensive operations, particularly in loading data from cache, which can exacerbate inefficiencies and reduce execution unit availability.
Innovation Solution
Divide larger load instructions into smaller load instructions by splitting contiguous memory locations, converting load instructions into separate instructions for each register, and replacing the original instruction sequence with the split sequence in the instruction pipeline, triggered by performance-based conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If load instructions are combined into larger instructions to reduce the number of load operations, then memory-bound workload performance improves, but compute-intensive workload efficiency deteriorates due to increased execution unit constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments a large load instruction into multiple smaller load instructions, each targeting a subset of the original destination registers. This segmentation allows the instruction to be divided into manageable parts that can be executed more efficiently in compute-intensive workloads, resolving the contradiction between reducing instruction count and maintaining execution unit availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the load instruction granularity based on workload characteristics. The control circuit monitors whether the current workload is memory-bound or compute-intensive and adapts the instruction division strategy accordingly, enabling the system to optimize for memory-bound performance when needed while maintaining compute-intensive efficiency when required.
2Productivity
If additional instructions are added to handle larger load instructions, then memory access efficiency improves, but instruction pipeline complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the destination registers into multiple groups, with each segment receiving data from a separate load instruction. This segmentation approach improves memory access efficiency by enabling parallel load operations while avoiding the need for complex additional instructions, as each segmented load instruction is self-contained and can be independently decoded and executed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary segmentation of the load instruction and register allocation before execution, allowing the instruction pipeline to handle multiple simpler load operations in parallel rather than requiring complex runtime logic to manage a single large load instruction.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed computing device can identify multiple loads, from contiguous memory locations into respective registers, that have been fused into a load instruction sequence. The computing device can split the contiguous memory locations into separate load instructions for each register to generate a split load instruction sequence that replaces the fused load instruction sequence. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.