Send Gather Messaging for Non-Contiguous Graphics Registers
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current send message instructions in graphics processors require the payload to be in contiguous registers, limiting flexibility and efficiency in processing graphics data.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a send gather message instruction that allows gathering payload from arbitrary registers, enabling efficient processing of graphics data without the constraint of contiguous register allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If send message instructions require contiguous registers for payload, then instruction simplicity is maintained, but flexibility and processing efficiency are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The payload is segmented into multiple components that can be gathered from non-contiguous registers. The send gather message instruction collects data from multiple source registers (including base register, index register, and additional source registers) and assembles them into the message payload, allowing flexible register allocation while maintaining instruction simplicity through a unified operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The execution resource acts as an intermediary between the source registers and the shared function. It gathers data from arbitrary registers (base register, index register, additional source registers) and prepares the payload for transmission, enabling flexible data collection without requiring contiguous register allocation at the source.
2Device complexity
If send message instructions use fixed contiguous register allocation, then hardware complexity is reduced, but processing efficiency and performance are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The send gather message instruction serves multiple functions: it gathers data from multiple source registers (base register, index register, additional source registers), handles conditional sending (sendc), and transmits to shared functions. This multi-functional approach improves processing efficiency without requiring separate hardware paths for each operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The register allocation becomes dynamic rather than fixed. The execution resource can dynamically select which registers to gather from based on the specific operation requirements, allowing the same hardware to efficiently handle various data collection scenarios without requiring dedicated hardware for each register pattern.
3Ease of operation
If contiguous register allocation is required for send message payload, then data transmission simplicity is maintained, but adaptability for different graphics data operations is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different registers can have different qualities or purposes (base register for starting position, index register for offset, additional source registers for extra data). The send gather message instruction respects these local qualities by selectively gathering from appropriate registers based on the specific graphics data operation requirements, maintaining simplicity in the transmission mechanism while adapting to different data scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus to facilitate gathering payload from arbitrary registers for send messages in a graphics environment is disclosed. The apparatus includes processing resources comprising execution circuitry to receive a send gather message instruction identifying a number of registers to access for a send message and identifying IDs of a plurality of individual registers corresponding to the number of registers; decode a first phase of the send gather message instruction; based on decoding the first phase, cause a second phase of the send gather message instruction to bypass an instruction decode stage; and dispatch the first phase subsequently followed by dispatch of the second phase to a send pipeline. The apparatus can also perform an immediate move of the IDs of the plurality of individual registers to an architectural register of the execution circuitry and include a pointer to the architectural register in the send gather message instruction.