Processor Instruction Capture Logic for Prefix Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for managing instructions in computing environments face limitations in addressability, particularly when dealing with prefix instructions, which restrict the size of directly addressable data ranges and complicate processing and reporting.
Innovation Solution
A computer program product that captures and manages prefix and prefixed instructions separately as a single instruction, allowing for parallel processing and delayed forwarding of prefix instructions, enabling accurate tracking and reporting of events and addressability extension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If prefix instructions are used to extend addressability, then the directly addressable data range is extended, but the processing complexity and instruction management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the prefix instruction and prefixed instruction into a single management unit. The instruction capture logic treats them as one logical instruction for counting and sampling purposes, even though they are physically separate instruction units. This combining approach extends addressability while managing complexity by presenting a unified view to the instruction management system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary instruction capture logic layer between the parallel instruction decode units and the instruction management system. This intermediary captures information about prefix-prefixed instruction pairs and presents them as single logical instructions, mediating between the complex parallel processing reality and the simplified management requirement.
2Productivity
If prefix instructions are processed in parallel by multiple instruction decode units, then processing speed is improved, but accurate tracking and reporting of instructions becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through the instruction capture logic that monitors and records information about prefix and prefixed instruction pairs. The capture logic receives feedback from multiple decode units about instruction processing and uses this information to accurately track and report on the actual number of logical instructions executed, correcting for the parallel processing duplication.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the instruction tracking function into separate components: the parallel decode units that process instructions, and the instruction capture logic that tracks and reports on them. This segmentation allows each decode unit to operate independently at high speed while the capture logic consolidates information to provide accurate tracking, separating the speed-critical processing from the accuracy-critical measurement.
3Ease of operation
If prefix instructions are captured and managed as separate instructions, then instruction counting is simplified, but the actual instruction execution accuracy is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The instruction capture logic merges the counting of prefix and prefixed instructions into a single count. When the capture logic detects a prefix instruction followed by its corresponding prefixed instruction, it counts them as one logical instruction rather than two separate instructions. This merging maintains simplicity in the counting mechanism while achieving accurate representation of actual instruction execution.
Data Source
AI summary
Managing the capture of information. A plurality of instruction units of an instruction stream are received in parallel by a plurality of instruction decode units of a processor. One instruction decode unit of the plurality of instruction decode units receives a prefix instruction and another instruction decode unit of the plurality of instruction decode units receives a prefixed instruction. The prefixed instruction is an instruction to be modified by the prefix instruction. Information associated with processing of the plurality of instruction units is captured, and the capturing includes modifying the information to be captured to manage the prefix instruction and the prefixed instruction separately received by the instruction decode units as a single instruction.