SHIFTINSIDE Instruction for Multi-Dimensional Array Offset Calculation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computing systems face challenges in efficiently calculating segment addresses within multi-dimensional arrays, particularly in vector operations where precise offset calculations are necessary to access specific segments of complex data structures.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of the SHIFTINSIDE instruction, which calculates the segment address offset by multiplying the coordinates of the target segment by the sizes of the dimensions, allowing for efficient addressing of specific segments within multi-dimensional structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional address calculation methods are used for multi-dimensional arrays, then the calculation process becomes complex and time-consuming, but the patent introduces a specialized instruction to calculate segment address offsets efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the address calculation process into distinct operational components handled by the SHIFTINSIDE instruction, separating the offset calculation logic from general-purpose arithmetic operations. This segmentation enables dedicated hardware support for vector operations while maintaining compatibility with scalar operations through the same instruction format.
Solution Approach 2:
The SHIFTINSIDE instruction is designed to handle both scalar and vector operations universally. The same instruction format and execution logic accommodate different data types and dimensionalities, allowing a single instruction to serve multiple purposes across different computational contexts without requiring separate specialized instructions.
2Measurement precision
If precise offset calculations are performed for vector operations, then data access accuracy is improved, but the computational overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary dimension size validation and offset range checking during the instruction decoding and execution setup phases. By pre-computing boundary conditions and validating input parameters before the main calculation, the system ensures precise address generation without requiring additional verification steps after calculation, thus maintaining both accuracy and efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is described having functional unit logic circuitry. The functional unit logic circuitry has a first register to store a first input vector operand having an element for each dimension of a multi-dimensional data structure. Each element of the first vector operand specifying the size of its respective dimension. The functional unit has a second register to store a second input vector operand specifying coordinates of a particular segment of the multi-dimensional structure. The functional unit also has logic circuitry to calculate an address offset for the particular segment relative to an address of an origin segment of the multi-dimensional structure.