Processor Scheduler Replay Inhibition for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In processors, repeated instruction replays due to unresolved conditions lead to unnecessary power consumption, as instructions are reissued without ensuring the clearing of previous replay cases, resulting in wasted energy.
Innovation Solution
A processor design with a scheduler that inhibits the issuance of instructions until an acknowledgement is received for specific replay cases, preventing repeated replays and conserving power by ensuring conditions are cleared before reexecution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If instructions are reissued repeatedly until replay conditions are cleared, then the replay condition will eventually be resolved, but power consumption increases due to wasted energy in repeated issuances
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler performs preliminary actions by tracking replay case acknowledgments before reissuing instructions. It maintains state information about which replay cases have been acknowledged and uses this information to determine whether an instruction should be reissued, preventing unnecessary reissuances that would waste power while ensuring reliable resolution of replay conditions.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the scheduler continuously monitors and tracks replay cases to prevent repeated replays, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional tracking mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The scheduler performs multiple functions using a unified approach: it tracks replay case acknowledgments, determines eligibility for reissue, manages instruction scheduling, and monitors execution status. By combining these functions into a single scheduler component with integrated replay case tracking, the design avoids the complexity of separate monitoring mechanisms while still achieving power savings through informed reissue decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a scheduler configured to issue a first instruction operation to be executed and an execution core coupled to the scheduler. Configured to execute the first instruction operation, the execution core comprises a plurality of replay sources configured to cause a replay of the first instruction operation responsive to detecting at least one of a plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation subsequent to the replay for a subset of the plurality of replay cases. The scheduler is coupled to receive an acknowledgement indication corresponding to each of the plurality of replay cases in the subset, and is configured to inhibit issuance of the first instruction operation until the acknowledgement indication is asserted that corresponds to an identified replay case of the subset.