Multi-Pipeline Processor with Reduced Decoder for Energy Efficiency

Solution Overview

Problem

Superscalar processors consume excessive energy due to high gate counts and often fail to provide significant performance increases, making them unsuitable for low-energy applications like embedded systems with long battery life requirements.

Innovation Solution

A processor design featuring multiple execution pipelines, including a single full pipeline for decoding and executing all instructions and additional pipelines capable of executing only a subset of frequently encountered instructions, reducing energy consumption while maintaining performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If superscalar processors are used to increase performance, then instruction execution rate is improved, but energy consumption increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstruction execution rateVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The processor is divided into multiple execution pipelines: a first execution pipeline with a full decoder capable of executing all instructions, and a second execution pipeline with a reduced decoder capable of executing only a subset of frequently executed instructions. This segmentation allows the system to handle different instruction types in different pipelines, improving overall execution rate while keeping the reduced decoder's energy consumption low.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second execution pipeline is optimized with a reduced decoder that has different (simpler) characteristics compared to the full decoder in the first pipeline. The reduced decoder is specifically designed with fewer logic circuits to handle only the most frequently executed instructions, making it more energy-efficient for those specific operations while the full decoder handles the remaining instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If multiple execution pipelines are implemented to increase performance, then instruction execution rate is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstruction execution rateVSAvoidprocessor structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The processor is divided into multiple execution pipelines: a first execution pipeline with a full decoder capable of executing all instructions, and a second execution pipeline with a reduced decoder capable of executing only a subset of frequently executed instructions. This segmentation allows the system to handle different instruction types in different pipelines, improving overall execution rate while keeping the reduced decoder's energy consumption low.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second execution pipeline includes a reduced decoder that handles only a subset of instructions rather than all instructions. This partial action approach is sufficient because the subset includes the most frequently executed instructions, achieving high performance for common operations without the full complexity of a complete decoder in every pipeline.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If a reduced decoder is used in the second execution pipeline to decrease energy consumption, then energy efficiency is improved, but instruction execution capability is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidinstruction execution capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The second execution pipeline is optimized with a reduced decoder that has different (simpler) characteristics compared to the full decoder in the first pipeline. The reduced decoder is specifically designed with fewer logic circuits to handle only the most frequently executed instructions, making it more energy-efficient for those specific operations while the full decoder handles the remaining instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The second execution pipeline includes a reduced decoder that handles only a subset of instructions rather than all instructions. This partial action approach is sufficient because the subset includes the most frequently executed instructions, achieving high performance for common operations without the full complexity of a complete decoder in every pipeline.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS20220035635A1Processor with multiple execution pipelines

Publication Date: 2022.02.03 TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC

AI summary

An apparatus and method system and method for increasing performance in a processor or other instruction execution device while minimizing energy consumption. A processor includes a first execution pipeline and a second execution pipeline. The first execution pipeline includes a first decode unit and a first execution control unit coupled to the first decode unit. The first execution control unit is configured to control execution of all instructions executable by the processor. The second execution pipeline includes a second decode unit, and a second execution control unit coupled to the second decode unit. The second execution control unit is configured to control execution of a subset of the instructions executable via the first execution control unit.