Patent ID: 6948056
Filing Date: 2005-09-20
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: retrieving a pair of data elements from an array of elements in a single fetch operation, wherein the pair of data elements includes an even data element and an odd data element; substantially comparing the even element of the pair with an even extreme value; if the even element of the pair exceeds the even extreme value, storing the even element of the pair as the even extreme value and storing a parameter indicative of an address of the even element of the pair in a pointer register, wherein storing the parameter indicative of an address of the even element of the pair in a pointer register comprises maintaining a first pointer register to store an address for the extreme value of the even data elements; concurrent with said comparing the even element of the pair with the even extreme value, comparing the odd element of the pair with an odd extreme value; if the odd element of the pair exceeds the odd extreme value, storing the odd element of the pair as the odd extreme value, and further comprising maintaining a second pointer register to store an address for the extreme value of the odd data elements; substantially fetching and comparing remaining pairs of data elements of the array until all of the data elements of the array have been processed; and adjusting at least one of the pointer registers after processing all of the pairs of data elements to account for a number of stages in a pipeline.