Patent ID: 7386690
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method in a processor in a data processing system for executing code using data types, the method comprising: setting a mode in the processor to enable functions for data awareness, wherein said functions for data awareness enable the processor to perform steps of: responsive to detecting an indication associated with a group of instructions, disabling the functions for data awareness in regards to the group of instructions; responsive to disabling the functions for data awareness, storing data; responsive to detecting an operation to store data in a memory location during execution of the code and responsive to an absence of an indication associated with a group of instructions, determining if a first data type is associated with the memory location, wherein the first data type is an expected data type for data to be stored in the memory location; identifying a second data type of the data to be stored if the first data type is associated with the memory location; responsive to identifying the second data type, comparing the first data type with the second data type for the memory location to determine whether the second data type is the expected data type for data to be stored in the memory location; and storing the data in the memory location, if the second data type is the expected data type, wherein the processor provides identification of the data types.