Processor with cycle offsets and delay lines to allow scheduling of instructions through time
View Patent ↗An apparatus includes a processor. The processor includes two memories. The first memory stores one set of instructions. The second memory stores another set of instructions that are longer than the set of instructions in the first memory. An instruction in the set of instructions in the first memory is used as a pointer to a corresponding instruction in the set of instructions in the second memory.
1. An integrated circuit (IC), comprising:
a processor, the processor comprising:
a first memory that stores a first set of instructions that addresses a second set of instructions;
a second memory that stores the second set of instructions, wherein the second memory contains cycle offsets to allow scheduling of instructions through time, and wherein the second memory is writable in order to implement custom instructions for a desired or specified application; and
a plurality of delay lines coupled to the second memory, the plurality of delay lines storing instructions according to their respective cycle offsets.
2. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 1 , wherein an instruction in the second set of instructions can post in one processor cycle instruction fragments to another processor cycle.
3. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 1 , wherein each delay line in the plurality of delay lines provides random access during a write operation.
4. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 3 , wherein each delay line in the plurality of delay lines comprises a circular buffer during a read operation.
5. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of functional units coupled to the plurality of delay lines.
6. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 1 , wherein each instruction in the first set of instructions comprises a single instruction.
7. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 6 , wherein each instruction in the first set of instructions comprises a complex instruction set computer (CISC) instruction.
8. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 1 , wherein each instruction in the second set of instructions comprises more than one instruction.
9. The integrated circuit (IC), according to claim 8 , wherein each instruction in the second set of instructions comprises a very long instruction word (VLIW) instruction.
10. A method of using a processor, the processor comprising first and second memories, the method comprising:
storing in the first memory a first set of instructions that addresses a second set of instructions;
storing in the second memory the second set of instructions, wherein the second memory contains cycle offsets to allow scheduling of instructions through time, and wherein the second memory is writable in order to implement custom instructions for a desired or specified application; and
using a plurality of delay lines cooperatively with the second memory, the plurality of delay lines storing instructions according to their respective cycle offsets.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein an instruction in the second set of instructions can post in one processor cycle instruction fragments to another processor cycle.
12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the plurality of delay lines further comprises providing random access during a write operation.
13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein using the plurality of delay lines further comprises providing a circular buffer during a read operation.
14. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising using a plurality of functional units cooperatively with the plurality of delay lines.
15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein each instruction in the first set of instructions comprises a single instruction.
16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein each instruction in the first set of instructions comprises a complex instruction set computer (CISC) instruction.
17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein each instruction in the second set of instructions comprises more than one instruction.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein each instruction in the second set of instructions comprises a very long instruction word (VLIW) instruction.