Patent ID: 6367069
Filing Date: 2002-04-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer readable memory including an array descriptor data structure containing information on an organization of an array of data values, the array descriptor data structure facilitating accesses into the array of data values, the array descriptor data structure comprising:a start address, including a starting address of the array in the memory; a group of extents, including an extent value for each dimension of the array, the extent value for a given dimension quantifying a number of elements in the given dimension, wherein the group of extents are stored in consecutive locations so that they can be accessed by a computer without accessing intervening values; a group of strides, including a stride value for each dimension of the array, the stride value of a given dimension quantifying a distance in array elements between consecutive array locations in the given dimension, wherein the group of strides are stored in consecutive locations so that they can be accessed by the computer without accessing intervening values; and a group of lower bound addresses, including a lower bound address for each dimension of the array, wherein the group of lower bound addresses are stored in consecutive locations so that they can be accessed by the computer without accessing intervening values.