Patent ID: 6721944
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for marking memory elements based upon how information retrieved from the memory elements is used in order to facilitate speculative program execution, the method comprising:examining source code that is to be compiled into executable code for a head thread that executes program instructions and for a speculative thread that executes program instructions in advance of the head thread; wherein during read operations to memory elements by the speculative thread, the executable code generally causes the speculative thread to update status information associated with the memory elements to indicate that the memory elements have been read by the speculative thread; identifying a given read operation from a given memory element, wherein a given value retrieved from the given memory element during the given read operation is not used in by the speculative thread; inserting at least one hint into the source code specifying that the speculative thread is not to update status information during the given read operation directed to the given memory element; and compiling the source code, including the at least one hint, into the executable code, so that during the given read operation, the executable code does not cause the speculative thread to update status information associated with the given memory element to indicate that the given memory element has been read by the speculative thread.