Static Instruction Block Caching for Faster Coprocessor Execution

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coprocessor architectures face inefficiencies in communication and synchronization with main processors due to repeated transfer of instructions, leading to increased power consumption and reduced performance.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an instruction cache that identifies static instructions and caches them as blocks, storing a program counter value, allowing bulk transfer to the coprocessor when the program counter returns to the stored value, thereby optimizing instruction execution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If instructions are repeatedly transferred from processor to coprocessor, then instruction delivery is simple, but power consumption increases and performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexecution speedVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification and classification of instructions into static and dynamic categories before execution. Static instructions are pre-grouped into blocks and cached, allowing for optimized bulk transfer to the coprocessor when executed repeatedly, thereby reducing power consumption and improving execution speed for common instruction patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Instructions are segmented into two distinct categories: static instructions that remain unchanged across executions and dynamic instructions that vary. This segmentation enables differential handling where static instructions are cached and transferred in bulk, while dynamic instructions are handled individually, optimizing the balance between simplicity and performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If instructions are transferred individually each time, then transfer flexibility is high, but execution speed decreases due to repeated transfers

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexecution speedVSAvoidinstruction caching mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification and classification of instructions into static and dynamic categories before execution. Static instructions are pre-grouped into blocks and cached, allowing for optimized bulk transfer to the coprocessor when executed repeatedly, thereby reducing power consumption and improving execution speed for common instruction patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Different handling strategies are applied to different instruction types: static instructions receive bulk cached transfer optimization, while dynamic instructions receive individual transfer handling. This local quality differentiation optimizes performance for the majority case (static instructions) without compromising the flexibility needed for variable instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Productivity

If all instructions are treated the same way, then system simplicity is maintained, but performance optimization is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveperformanceVSAvoidinstruction classification and caching system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary identification and classification of instructions into static and dynamic categories before execution. Static instructions are pre-grouped into blocks and cached, allowing for optimized bulk transfer to the coprocessor when executed repeatedly, thereby reducing power consumption and improving execution speed for common instruction patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

Different handling strategies are applied to different instruction types: static instructions receive bulk cached transfer optimization, while dynamic instructions receive individual transfer handling. This local quality differentiation optimizes performance for the majority case (static instructions) without compromising the flexibility needed for variable instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250298624A1Static Instruction Caching in a Coprocessor Architecture

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 TENSTORRENT USA INC

AI summary

Methods and systems relating to improved coprocessing architectures with static instruction caching are disclosed herein. A disclosed coprocessor architecture includes a processor, a coprocessor defined by an instruction set, a cache of static instruction blocks, and an instruction cache. The instruction set includes at least one static instruction. The instruction cache is configured to identify instructions in a series of instructions, provided by the processor for execution by the coprocessor, as either static instructions or dynamic instructions. The instruction cache is configured to, in response to identifying two or more sequential instructions in the series of instructions as static instructions, cache the two or more sequential instructions in the cache of static instruction blocks as an instruction block and store a program counter value of a program counter. The instruction cache is configured to provide the instruction block to the coprocessor from the cache of static instruction blocks when the program counter returns to the program counter value.