Advanced micro devices, inc. (20240111526). METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MASK REGISTER OPTIMIZATION FOR VECTOR OPERATIONS simplified abstract

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METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MASK REGISTER OPTIMIZATION FOR VECTOR OPERATIONS

Organization Name

advanced micro devices, inc.

Inventor(s)

MICHAEL Estlick of FORT COLLINS CO (US)

ERIC Dixon of FORT COLLINS CO (US)

THEODORE Carlson of FORT COLLINS CO (US)

ERIK D. Swanson of FORT COLLINS CO (US)

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MASK REGISTER OPTIMIZATION FOR VECTOR OPERATIONS - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 20240111526 titled 'METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MASK REGISTER OPTIMIZATION FOR VECTOR OPERATIONS

Simplified Explanation

The patent application describes a data processing system with a vector data processing unit that includes a shared scheduler queue storing both mask type instructions and vector type instructions. The system uses shared pipeline control logic to control either a vector data path or a mask data path based on the type of instruction selected from the queue. The instructions include source operands with corresponding shared source register bit fields that index into both a mask register file and a vector register file, allowing the pipeline control logic to choose the appropriate register file based on the source register identified in the instruction.

  • The data processing system includes a vector data processing unit with a shared scheduler queue.
  • The shared scheduler queue stores both mask type instructions and vector type instructions.
  • Shared pipeline control logic determines whether to control a vector data path or a mask data path based on the type of instruction selected from the queue.
  • Instructions include source operands with shared source register bit fields that index into both a mask register file and a vector register file.
  • The pipeline control logic selects the appropriate register file based on whether the source register identified in the instruction is a mask source register or a vector source register.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in high-performance computing systems, scientific simulations, and data processing applications that require efficient handling of vector and mask operations.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of efficiently processing both vector and mask instructions in a data processing system without the need for separate dedicated hardware units.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include improved performance, reduced hardware complexity, and increased flexibility in handling different types of data processing tasks within a single system.

Potential Commercial Applications

Potential commercial applications of this technology include supercomputers, data centers, and specialized computing systems used in scientific research, financial modeling, and artificial intelligence.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be the use of separate hardware units for processing vector and mask instructions in data processing systems. Another could be the use of dedicated register files for vector and mask operations in specialized computing systems.

Unanswered Questions

How does this technology compare to existing solutions for handling vector and mask operations in data processing systems?

This article does not provide a direct comparison with existing solutions, so it is unclear how this technology improves upon or differs from current approaches in the field.

What are the potential limitations or drawbacks of implementing this technology in practical applications?

The article does not address any potential limitations or drawbacks of implementing this technology, leaving open questions about its scalability, compatibility with existing systems, and potential performance trade-offs.


Original Abstract Submitted

a data processing system includes a vector data processing unit that includes a shared scheduler queue configured to store in a same queue, at least one entry that includes at least a mask type instruction and another entry that includes at least a vector type instruction. shared pipeline control logic controls a vector data path or a mask data path, based a type of instruction picked from the same queue. in some examples, at least one mask type instruction and the at least one vector type instruction each include a source operand having a corresponding shared source register bit field that indexes into both a mask register file and a vector register file. the shared pipeline control logic uses a mask register file or a vector register file depending on whether bits of the shared source register bit field identify a mask source register or a vector source register.