Processor Shift/Logical Circuit for Single-Cycle Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processors face challenges in executing shift and logical operations efficiently, as barrel shifters incur significant gate delay and require multiple processor clock cycles, hindering faster processing performance.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a shift/logical circuit in processor devices that performs fused shift and logical operations within a single processor clock cycle without modifying the underlying instruction set architecture, utilizing a barrel shifter circuit and data reversal multiplexers to execute shift and logical operations concurrently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If conventional barrel shifters are used to perform shift operations, then shift operations can be performed in a single processor clock cycle, but significant gate delay is incurred and multiple clock cycles are required for combined shift and logical operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines shift operations and logical operations into a single fused operation executed by a unified shift/logical circuit. This merging eliminates the need for separate execution stages, allowing both operation types to complete within a single processor clock cycle rather than requiring multiple sequential operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The shift/logical circuit is designed to perform multiple functions - both shift operations (arithmetic shift left, arithmetic shift right, logical shift left, logical shift right) and logical operations (AND, OR, XOR) - within a single circuit structure. This multi-functionality enables the circuit to handle combined shift and logical operations without requiring separate dedicated circuits for each operation type.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate shift and logical operation circuits are used, then each operation type can be optimized independently, but execution time increases due to multiple clock cycles requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate shift and logical operation circuits into a single integrated shift/logical circuit. This combination maintains design flexibility while enabling both operation types to execute simultaneously in one clock cycle, thereby increasing productivity without sacrificing ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit employs dynamic control signals that can be configured at runtime to perform different operation types (shift, logical AND, OR, XOR) based on the instruction being executed. This dynamic configurability allows the single circuit to adapt to different operation requirements while maintaining high execution speed.
Data Source
AI summary
Performing fused shift and logical operations in processor-based devices is disclosed herein. In some aspects, a processor device comprises an instruction processing circuit that includes a shift/logical circuit. The instruction processing circuit is configured to detect, in an instruction stream, one or more instructions to perform a shift operation and a subsequent logical operation. In response to detecting the one or more instructions, the instruction processing circuit is further configured to use the shift/logical circuit to perform the shift operation and the logical operation in a single processor clock cycle.