Dynamic Register Reconfiguration via Fix-up Micro-ops
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Solution Overview
Problem
The narrow-to-wide dependency in processor register files leads to increased power consumption and performance bottlenecks due to fractured architectural registers being split across multiple physical registers, complicating instruction processing.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring a register file using a rename table to record fracture information about source registers, generating fix-up micro-ops to merge smaller size registers into larger ones, and stalling micro-ops until the fracture is fixed, thereby addressing the fracture and reducing power consumption and performance bottlenecks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the architectural register is fractured and split across multiple physical registers to handle narrow-to-wide dependency, then the register mapping flexibility is improved, but the power consumption and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by detecting register fractures during the rename table lookup process and proactively generating fix-up micro-ops before the actual instruction execution. This allows the fracture detection and repair mechanisms to be prepared in advance, reducing the overhead during critical execution phases and thereby lowering overall power consumption while maintaining register mapping flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fix-up micro-ops as intermediary operations that mediate between the fractured physical registers and the architectural register abstraction. These intermediary micro-ops consolidate data from multiple physical registers into a single architectural register view, reducing the number of active read ports and decreasing power consumption while preserving the adaptability of the register mapping system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple physical registers are used to represent a single architectural register, then the register renaming capability is improved, but the number of read ports and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple physical register reads into a single architectural register operation by generating fix-up micro-ops that consolidate data from multiple sources. This merging approach reduces the number of simultaneous read ports required, as the fix-up operations can be executed sequentially or in batches, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining register renaming capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary consolidation of register data during the rename phase by detecting fractures and pre-generating fix-up micro-ops. This preliminary action allows the actual instruction execution to proceed with fewer active read ports, as the fracture repair work is already prepared or can be executed in advance, thereby reducing processing complexity.
3Ease of operation
If register fracture detection and fix-up micro-ops are implemented, then the narrow-to-wide dependency handling is improved, but the instruction processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs fracture detection and fix-up micro-op generation during the rename table lookup phase, which occurs before instruction execution. This preliminary action allows the actual instruction to execute more quickly, as the fracture repair work is already prepared or can be executed in advance, thereby reducing overall instruction processing time while improving dependency handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements skip logic where, if no fracture is detected during rename table lookup, the system skips the entire fix-up micro-op generation process and proceeds directly to instruction execution. This skipping mechanism minimizes processing time for non-fractured registers while maintaining the ability to handle fractured registers when necessary, thereby improving overall instruction processing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Reconfiguring a register file using a rename table having a plurality of fields that indicate fracture information about a source register of an instruction for instructions which have narrow to wide dependencies.