Patent Abstract:
A microprocessor capable of decoding a plurality of instructions associated with a plurality of threads is disclosed. The microprocessor may comprise a first array comprising a first plurality of microcode operations associated with an instruction from within the plurality, the first array capable of delivering a first predetermined number of microcode operations from the first plurality of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further comprise a second array comprising a second plurality of microcode operations, the second array capable of providing one or more of the second plurality of microcode operations in the event that the instruction decodes into more than the first predetermined number of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further comprise an arbiter coupled between the first and second arrays, where the arbiter may determine which thread from the plurality of threads accesses the second array.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The various embodiments of the present invention relate to decoding multithreaded instructions. More specifically, apparatuses, processes, systems and methods are disclosed for decoding a plurality of complex instructions associated with a plurality of threads. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Computers are ubiquitous in today&#39;s society. They come in all different varieties and can be found in places such as automobiles, the grocery store, banks, personal digital assistants, cell phones, as well as in many businesses. As will be appreciated by almost anyone owning a computer, the software being used on successive generations of computers continues to become more and more sophisticated. This increasing sophistication is due, in part, to the availability of computers with complex instruction sets, sometimes referred to as complex instruction set computers (CISC). Examples of CISC instructions include the x86 instruction set architecture (ISA), which is widely available today. 
         [0003]    Complex instruction sets, such as the x86 ISA, may include complex instructions that do not execute efficiently in modern microprocessors because they take multiple processor cycles to execute. In order to process computer programs as quickly as possible, it is often the goal of a microprocessor to execute instructions in a single clock cycle. Thus, most modern microprocessors may decode the complex instructions into a series of more manageable microcode-operations (μ-ops) that execute in a single cycle. These μ-ops may be stored in a read only memory (ROM) that is integrated within the processor and referred to as a μcode ROM. A hardware sequencer, which also may be integrated within the microprocessor, may track the μ-ops fetched from the μcode ROM and provide addresses for the next μ-op to be executed. 
         [0004]    Many microprocessors also may implement hardware threading to reduce the amount of time that the microprocessor is idle. Since the μcode ROM and the hardware sequencer may be integrated within the microprocessor, where space is at a premium, there may only be a single μcode ROM and/or sequencer to be shared among multiple hardware threads. However, sharing a single μcode ROM among multiple threads may create problems. For example, the microprocessor may need to arbitrate between multiple threads to determine which thread can access the μcode ROM. Also, the microprocessor may need to coordinate address calculation by the sequencer among the many threads. These problems are only exacerbated as processor operating frequencies increase. That is, at high clock frequencies, the operations involved in arbitrating and selecting threads—e.g., thread arbitration, address generation, reading the instructions from the μcode ROM—may be difficult to complete in a single clock cycle. 
         [0005]    Furthermore, as the microprocessor begins to have difficulty executing the complex multithreaded instructions within the time allotted by a single clock cycle, the physical placement of the μcode ROM and/or sequencer within the microprocessor also may begin to affect performance. For example, the μcode ROM and/or sequencer may be physically placed a far distance away from blocks of the microprocessor to which they deliver μ-op code. In general, the further two blocks are away from each other within the microprocessor, the more time it may take to deliver data between them. Thus, the physical placement of blocks may result in the operations of arbitrating and selecting threads taking more than a single clock cycle. Thus, methods and apparatuses are needed that address one or more of these problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    One or more embodiments may include a microprocessor capable of decoding a plurality of instructions associated with a plurality of threads. The microprocessor may comprise a first array comprising a first plurality of microcode operations associated with an instruction from within the plurality, the first array capable of delivering a first predetermined number of microcode operations from the first plurality of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further comprise a second array comprising a second plurality of microcode operations, the second array capable of providing one or more of the second plurality of microcode operations in the event that the instruction decodes into more than the first predetermined number of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further comprise an arbiter coupled between the first and second arrays, where the arbiter may determine which thread from the plurality of threads may access the second array. 
         [0007]    Another embodiment may include a computer system comprising a user input device, a microprocessor coupled to the user input device, where the microprocessor may be capable of decoding a plurality of instructions associated with a plurality of threads. The microprocessor may include a first array comprising a first plurality of microcode operations associated with an instruction from within the plurality of the instructions, the first array capable of delivering a first predetermined number of microcode operations from the first plurality of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further include a second array comprising a second plurality of microcode operations, the second array capable of providing one or more of the second plurality of microcode operations in the event that the instruction decodes into more than the first predetermined number of microcode operations. The microprocessor may further include an arbiter coupled between the first and second arrays, wherein the arbiter determines which thread from the plurality of threads accesses the second array. 
         [0008]    Another embodiment may include a method of decoding a plurality of instructions associated with a plurality of threads. The method may include the acts of delivering a first predetermined number of microcode operations from a first array that may comprise a first plurality of microcode operations associated with an instruction within the plurality of instructions, providing one or more microcode operations from a second plurality of microcode operations, in a second array, in the event that the instruction decodes into more than the first predetermined number of microcode operations, and arbitrating between two threads from the plurality of threads to determine which thread accesses the second array. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    For a detailed description of the various embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary computer system. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary μ-op decoding system. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary series of operations for decoding μ-ops. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary execution sequence of multithreaded instructions. 
       
    
    
       [0014]    The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    The term CISC, as used herein, generally refers to instructions that may require multiple processor cycles to execute as opposed to reduced instruction set computer (RISC) instructions, which execute in a single processor cycle. While this disclosure will focus on CISC instructions from the x86 ISA, it should be appreciated that this disclosure has broad application and applies generally to the efficient decoding of CISC instructions executing on a multi-threaded processor. 
         [0016]    Some embodiments may include an apparatus and method that provides for efficiently decoding CISC and/or x86 instructions in a multi-threaded processor. The x86 instructions may be micro-coded into one or more μ-ops that execute in a single cycle. Decoding these micro-coded instructions may include separating the instructions into two or more classes. A first of the two or more classes may include the instructions that may be decoded into two or less μ-ops, where each μ-op is capable of being executed in a single processor cycle. Instructions in this first class may be stored in a location other than the μcode ROM. A second of the two or more classes may include the instructions that need more than two μ-ops to execute. This second class of instructions may be stored in the μcode ROM and implement a μcode ROM arbiter that may assist in managing accesses to the μcode ROM between multiple threads. As a result of separating instructions into these two classes and implementing a μcode ROM arbiter, an average decode throughput of one μ-op per cycle for complex CISC instructions (such as x86 instructions) may be achieved. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary computer system  100  that may be capable of executing x86 instructions. In some embodiments, the computer system  100  may be an implementation of enterprise level computers, such as one or more blade-type servers within an enterprise. In other embodiments, the computer system  100  may be a personal computer and/or a handheld electronic device. A keyboard  110  and mouse  111  may be coupled to the computer system  100  via a system bus  118 . The keyboard  110  and mouse  111 , in one example, may introduce user input to computer system  100  and communicate that user input to a processor  113 . Other suitable input devices may be used in addition to, or in place of, mouse  111  and keyboard  110 . An input/output unit  119  (I/O) coupled to system bus  118  represents such I/O elements as a printer, audio/video (A/V) I/O, etc. 
         [0018]    Computer  100  also may include a video memory  114 , a main memory  115  and a mass storage  112 , all coupled to system bus  118  along with keyboard  110 , mouse  111  and processor  113 . Mass storage  112  may include both fixed and removable media, such as magnetic, optical or magnetic optical storage systems and any other available mass storage technology. Bus  118  may contain, for example, address lines for addressing video memory  114  or main memory  115 . System bus  118  also includes, for example, a data bus for transferring data between and among the components, such as processor  113 , main memory  115 , video memory  114  and mass storage  112 . Video memory  114  may be a dual-ported video random access memory. One port of video memory  114 , in one example, is coupled to video amplifier  116 , which is used to drive a monitor  117 . Monitor  117  may be any type of monitor suitable for displaying graphic images, such as a cathode ray tube monitor (CRT), flat panel, or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor or any other suitable data presentation device. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, processor  113  is a SPARC® microprocessor from Sun Microsystems, Inc., or a microprocessor manufactured by Motorola, such as the 680XX0 processor, or a microprocessor manufactured by Intel, such as the 80X86, or Pentium® processor. Any other suitable microprocessor or microcomputer may be utilized, however. As will be described in further detail below, the processor  113  may be capable of concurrently executing multiple threads, where each thread may include one or more x86 instructions. In some embodiments, this may include switching between threads during each processor cycle. That is, the processor  113  may execute one or more instructions from a first thread during one cycle and execute one or more instructions from a different thread during subsequent cycle. 
         [0020]    Computer  100  also may include a communication interface  120  coupled to bus  118 . Communication interface  120  provides a two-way data communication coupling via a network link. For example, communication interface  120  may be an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card or a modem, a local area network (LAN) card, or a cable modem or wireless interface. In any such implementation, communication interface  120  sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals which carry digital data streams representing various types of information. 
         [0021]    Code received by computer  100  may be executed by processor  113  as it is received, and/or stored in mass storage  112 , or other non-volatile storage for later execution. In this manner, computer  100  may obtain application code in a variety of forms. Application code may be embodied in any form of computer program product such as a medium configured to store or transport computer readable code or data, or in which computer readable code or data may be embedded. Examples of computer program products include CD-ROM discs, ROM cards, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, computer hard drives, servers on a network, and solid state memory devices. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a system  200  is shown for decoding the one or more μ-ops. In some embodiments, the μ-op decoding system  200  may be integrated within the processor  113 . As mentioned previously, the threads being executed on the processor  113  may include one or more x86 instructions that may require multiple processor cycles to execute. These x86 instructions may be coded into a plurality of μ-ops, where each μ-op is capable of being executed in a single processor cycle. Based on the relative complexity of the x86 instructions, the μ-ops may be selectively stored in different locations within the decoding system  200 . 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, the system  200  may include a μcode ROM  202  for storing μ-ops associated with complex x86 instructions and a programmable logic array (PLA)  205  for storing μ-ops associated with non-complex x86 instructions and/or initial μ-ops associated with complex x86 instructions. The term “complex x86 instruction”, as used herein, refers to an instruction that decodes into more than two μ-ops, where each μ-op may consume a single processor cycle. Thus, the term “non-complex x86 instruction” refers to an instruction that decodes into two or fewer μ-ops. During decode operations, the PLA  205  may store μ-ops for the instructions in the various threads being executed by the processor  113 . In addition, in the event that the instruction may require more μ-ops than are stored in the PLA  205 , the PLA  205  may store the starting address of the instruction&#39;s additional μ-ops within the μcode ROM  202 . Applying an address to μcode ROM  202  (e.g., from the PLA  205 ) may result in returning a data word stored at that address. In the case of a μcode ROM  202 , the data words stored at these addresses may correspond to one or more μ-ops associated with a complex x86 instruction. As will be described in detail below, in some embodiments, the size of the data word may be two μ-ops. 
         [0024]    The decoding system  200  further may include a plurality of thread select buffers  210 A-H that contain the instructions for various threads being executed by the processor  113  (where the thread select buffer  210 A may correspond to instructions from thread T 0 , the thread select buffer  210 B may correspond to instructions from thread T 1 , and so on). Although a particular number of threads are shown in  FIG. 2 , it should be appreciated that any number of threads may be executed concurrently by the processor  113 . Thus, the configuration shown in  FIG. 2  may vary based on the number of threads implemented in any particular embodiment. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, these buffers  210 A-H may be implemented as one or more flip-flops and/or registers. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the buffers  210 A-H may include a CLK signal from a timing circuit  215 . The timing circuit  215  may be integrated within the processor  113  in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the CLK signal may be provided from outside the processor. The timing circuit  215  may take a variety of physical forms, including in some embodiments, a crystal based oscillator with relatively low phase noise and/or clock jitter. In other embodiments, the timing circuit  215  may be a frequency synthesized signal based on a crystal oscillator signal, such as a phase locked loop (PLL) synthesizer. 
         [0026]    Regardless of the particular implementation of the timing circuit  215 , the CLK signal generated by the timing circuit  215  may be configured to coincide with the master clock signal of the processor  113 . As a result, the instructions in the thread select buffers  210 A-H may be updated coincident with the operation of the processor  113 . For example, in some embodiments, the instruction in at least one of the thread select buffers  210 A-H may be transferred to subsequent portions of the system  200  with each processor cycle. Similarly, additional buffers (such as the decode buffer  225 , the pick buffers  230 A-H, the arbitration buffers  240 A-H and  241 A-H, and the μcode input buffer  255  all described below) may be implemented throughout the system  200  such that data may progress through these buffers to various portions of the system  200  with successive processor cycles. Thus, the decoding system  200  may decode the incoming x86 instructions from the various threads using a plurality of decoding pipeline stages. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the various decode pipeline stages may include a select stage, a decode stage, and a pick stage. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  depicts an exemplary series of operations  300  that may be implemented to decode μ-ops that may have been previously stored into the μcode ROM  202  and/or the PLA  205  based on their complexity. Referring now to both  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the select pipe stage may include a thread select buffer arbiter  220  coupled to the thread select buffers  210 A-H. In some embodiments, the thread select buffers  210 A-H may store x86 instructions. During operation, the arbiter  220  may select instructions from one of the threads based on whether the thread has been recently used. This is shown as operation  305 . For example, in some embodiments, the arbiter  220  may implement a least-recently-used (LRU) operation on the contents of the thread select buffers  210 A-H to schedule for execution a thread that has been accessed less than all the other threads. The arbiter  220  may then pass instructions from the selected thread to a decode buffer  225 , where the particular instructions associated with that thread may be selectively decoded based upon the complexity of the x86 instruction. As mentioned previously, the decode buffer  225  may couple to the CLK signal from the timing circuit  225  such that information in the decode buffer  225  is advanced to other portions of the system  200  for each clock cycle of the processor  113 . 
         [0028]    As mentioned above, the μ-ops associated with any particular x86 instruction may be selectively stored within the PLA  205  and the μcode ROM  202  if they were complex, or alternatively, stored in the PLA  205  if they were non-complex. In operation  310 , the complexity of the instruction in the decode buffer  225  may be determined. For example, in some embodiments, the contents of the decode buffer  225  may be compared to a list of non-complex x86 instructions that are capable of being executed in two or less μ-ops. In the event that the instruction in the decode buffer  225  can be decoded in two or less μ-ops, then the corresponding μ-ops may be provided from the PLA  205  and placed into a pick buffer  230 A-H corresponding to the particular thread being decoded where the pick buffer  230 A may correspond to thread T 0 , the pick buffer  230 B may correspond to thread T 1 , and so on. This is illustrated in operation  315 . In some embodiments, the PLA  205  may provide the two or fewer μ-ops corresponding to the x86 instruction in a single processor cycle, and therefore, some embodiments may include the ability to generate two μ-ops per processor cycle. As indicated in  FIG. 3 , once the PLA  205  generates two μ-ops and issues them to the pick buffers  230 A-H, control may flow back to block  305  to select the next instruction for a given thread to be decoded. 
         [0029]    The pick buffers  230 A-H may be the final decode stage in the system  200  such that the processor  113  may execute μ-ops stored in pick buffers  230 A-H. The pick buffers  230 A-H may couple to the PLA  205  via one or more muxes  235 A-H, where the mux  235 A may correspond to thread T 0 , the mux  235 B may correspond to thread T 1 , and so on. The one or more muxes  235 A-H may couple to the μcode ROM  202  so as to allow the pick buffers  230 A-H to be selectively filled with μ-ops from either the PLA  205  and/or the μcode ROM  202 . In the event that the instruction in the decode buffer  225  cannot be decoded in two or less μ-ops, then the corresponding μ-ops may be satisfied from the PLA  205  in addition to being satisfied from the μcode ROM  202 . As shown in operation  320 , if the x86 instruction is complex (i.e., requiring more than two μ-ops), then the PLA  205  may generate the first two μ-ops and also generate an address in the μcode ROM  202  that corresponds to one or more subsequent μ-ops associated with the complex x86 instruction. Thus, the PLA  205  may be consulted as the first decode stage for both complex and non-complex instructions. 
         [0030]    As mentioned previously, the μcode ROM  202  may be shared among the various threads so as to conserve the integrated circuit area consumed by the processor  113 . To facilitate the sharing of the μcode ROM  202  between various threads, the decode stage of the system  200  may engage in thread sequencer arbitration. The system  200  may implement arbitration buffers  240 A-H and  241 A-H, muxes  245 A-H, arbiter  250 , and μcode input buffer  255  to arbitrate between the various instruction threads as shown in operation  325 . 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, the arbiter  250  may determine a thread for decode from the μcode ROM  202  using an LRU operation akin to the arbitration of the thread select arbiter  220 . Note, however, that the thread select arbiter  220  and the μcode arbiter  250  may select different threads based on the same LRU technique. That is, the least recently used thread may be different at the μcode ROM arbiter  250  than at the thread select arbiter  220 . 
         [0032]    The arbitration buffers  240 A-H may store the μcode ROM address from the PLA  205  (which was generated by the PLA  205  during operation  320 ). As shown, the buffers  240 A-H may each correspond to a different thread. The arbitration buffers  241 A-H may store subsequent μcode ROM addresses generated by the μcode ROM  202 . Similar to the buffers  240 A-H, the buffers  241  A-H may each correspond to a different thread. The μcode ROM  202  may generate these subsequent addresses because the complex x86 instructions, which are being decoded by the system  200 , may require multiple μ-ops and the number of μ-ops provided by the μcode ROM  202  for each cycle may be fixed. Because the address for subsequent μ-ops within the μcode ROM  202  may be provided out of the μcode ROM  202  itself, the μcode ROM  202  may be configured to deliver a variable number of μ-ops within successive cycles. For example, in some embodiments, the μcode ROM  202  may provide two μ-ops and an address for subsequent μ-ops during a first processor cycle. In this example, during the second cycle, the μcode ROM  202  may provide no further μ-ops so as to allow the subsequent addresses to be queued for reading from the μcode ROM  202 . Thus, between the first and second cycles there may be an average μ-op throughput of at least one μ-op per processor cycle for complex x86 instructions executing in a multithreaded environment, while still allowing subsequent μcode ROM addresses to be queued for decoding in subsequent cycles. This is shown in operation  330 . Note that other embodiments may provide different numbers of μ-ops per cycle to achieve the same throughput, e.g., three μ-ops in the first cycle and no further μ-ops in the second and third cycles for an average of one μ-op per cycle. 
         [0033]    Because of the fixed nature of the μcode ROM  202  and the fact that some complex x86 instructions may consume more than this fixed number of μ-ops per cycle, the μcode ROM  202  may need to generate additional μ-ops on subsequent processor cycles. For example, if a complex x86 instruction requires more than four μ-ops, the μcode ROM  202  may need to be re-consulted. In this example, the first two μ-ops may be provided by the PLA  205  during operation  320 , and the next two may be provided by looking up two μ-ops at the μcode ROM address provided by the PLA  205 . If these four μ-ops are determined, and additional μ-ops are required to execute the complex x86 instruction, a subsequent μ-op address may need to be generated by the μcode ROM  202 . The μcode ROM  202  may indicate whether subsequent μ-op addresses are being issued by setting an “end bit” to indicate the end of μ-ops associated with a particular complex instruction. The reading of this end bit is illustrated in operation  335 . 
         [0034]    During operation, the muxes  245 A-H initially may be configured to select the address from the PLA  205  (buffers  240 A-H). If the PLA  205  indicates that the instruction is associated with μ-op code in the μcode ROM  205 , then the muxes  245 A-H may be configured to select the address from the μcode ROM  205  (buffers  241 A-H) until the end bit is set. Upon detection of the end bit being set, the muxes  245 A-H again may select the address from the PLA  205  (buffers  240 A-H). Thus, the input select for the muxes  245 A-H may be configured so as to allow the first μ-op address to come from the PLA  205  and subsequent addresses come from the μcode ROM  202  until the end bit is encountered. Once the end bit is encountered, this may indicate the end of the μ-op sequence from the μcode ROM  202 , and control may flow back to operation  305 . 
         [0035]    If a subsequent μ-op address was generated by the μcode ROM  202  as it provided its two μ-ops (i.e., the end bit is not set), then the muxes  245 A-H may select the subsequent μ-op address from the μcode ROM  202  (stored in the buffers  241 A-H) rather than the subsequent μ-op address from the PLA  205  (stored in the buffers  240 A-H). This is shown in  FIG. 3  as control may flow back to operation  325  where arbitration again may be performed between threads, including the threads that have these subsequent μ-ops as identified by the end bit. Also, if the end bit is not set, and an address is present for a subsequent μ-op, then the muxes  245 A-H may select the buffers  241 A-H (which include the additional μ-op addresses) rather than the buffers  240 A-H, which include addresses from the PLA  205 . In this manner, initial μ-op addresses may come from the PLA  205  (shown in operation  320 ) and subsequent μ-ops addresses may come from the μcode ROM  202  (shown in operation  330 ). 
         [0036]    If, on the other hand, no subsequent address was generated by the μcode ROM  202  when it provided its two μ-ops (i.e., the end bit is set), then control may flow back to block  305  where the thread select arbiter  220  may select the next instruction for a given thread for execution. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  represents a table  400  that illustrates an exemplary execution of multithreaded instructions by the processor  113 . For the sake of discussing the timing of various decode operations  FIG. 4  refers to the decode activities of the blocks shown in  FIG. 2 . It should be recognized that this discussion is merely illustrative of the possible timing of decoding complex x86 instructions on a multithreaded processor and is not intended to require a certain order of execution of decode activities. 
         [0038]    Various cycles of the processor  405  are shown in the horizontal header of the table  400 , with execution beginning in CYCLE_ 0 . Different portions of the system  200  correspond to the first column  410  of the table  400  as indicated. The progress of multithreaded instructions according to at least one embodiment is illustrated by examining the contents of each portion of the system  200  during subsequent processor cycles. The convention used for the entries of the table  400  may include (in this order): thread number, instruction number within the thread, and the μ-op within the particular instruction. Also, the numbering convention for the CYCLES and the threads is  0  for the first,  1  for the second,  2  for the third,  3  for the fourth and so on. For example, based on these conventions, an entry T 0 - 0 - 0  may correspond to the first thread (T 0 ), the first instruction in thread (T 0 - 0 ), and the first μ-op within the first instruction (T 0 - 0 - 0 ). Referring to  FIG. 4 , first and second μcoded threads T 0  and T 1  are shown. In CYCLE_ 0 , the decode buffer  225  may include first thread T 0 , for example, because the arbiter  220  determined that the thread T 0  is the least recently used thread. The first instruction in the thread T 0  may be decoded by the PLA  205  during CYCLE_ 1 . 
         [0039]    During CYCLE_ 1 , at the same time as the first instruction of first thread (T 0 - 0 ) is being decoded into its first two μ-ops by the PLA  205 , the arbiter  220  may determine that thread T 1  is the least recently used thread and store it in the decode buffer  225 . The exemplary thread T 0  may include a complex first instruction (T 0 - 0 ) that requires more than two μ-ops. The PLA  205  may generate an address for the additional μ-ops within the μcode ROM  202 . 
         [0040]    During CYCLE_ 2 , while the T 1  thread is being decoded by the PLA  205 , arbitration may be performed (e.g., by using the muxes  245 A-H and arbiter  250 ) to determine the thread that will have control of the μcode ROM  202 .  FIG. 4  illustrates the situation where the μcode address from the T 0  thread is selected for access to the μcode ROM  202  during CYCLE_ 2 . Also, during CYCLE_ 2 , the first μ-op associated with the first instruction of the first thread (T 0 - 0 - 0 ), from the PLA  205 , may be passed to the pick buffers  230 A-H and queued for execution by the processor  113 . 
         [0041]    During CYCLE  3 , arbitration may again be performed (e.g., by using the muxes  245 A-H and arbiter  250 ) to determine the thread that will have control of the μcode ROM  202 .  FIG. 4  now illustrates the situation where the μcode address from the T 1  thread is selected for access to the μcode ROM  202  during CYCLE_ 3 . Concurrently in CYCLE_ 3 , the second and third μ-ops of the first instruction from the first thread (T 0 - 0 - 2 , 3 ) may be decoded by the μcode ROM  202  into the second and third μ-ops. Also, during CYCLE_ 3 , the first μ-op associated with the first instruction of the second thread (T 1 - 0 - 0 ), from the PLA  205 , may be passed to the pick buffers  230 A-H and queued for execution by the processor  113 . 
         [0042]    During CYCLE_ 4  the first thread T 0  wins arbitration to the μcode ROM  202  to decode additional μ-ops. Also, during CYCLE_ 4  the third and fourth μ-ops from the first instruction of the second thread (T 1 - 0 - 2 , 3 ) may be decoded by the μcode ROM  202 . At the same time, during CYCLE_ 4 , the second μ-op from the first instruction of the first thread (T 0 - 0 - 1 ) may be passed to the pick buffers  230 A-H and queued for execution by the processor  113 . 
         [0043]    Examining the various pick buffers queued for execution in  FIG. 4  it can be appreciated that the processor may efficiently share decode operations of the μcode ROM  202  between the first and second threads. Thus, in CYCLE_ 5 , the processor may resume operation where it left off in CYCLE_ 3 —i.e., at the second μ-op of the first instruction of the second thread (T 1 - 0 - 1 ), which was decoded by the PLA  205  in CYCLE_ 2 . Likewise, in CYCLE_ 6 , the processor may resume operation where it left off in CYCLE_ 4 —i.e., at the third μ-op of the first instruction of the first instruction (T 0 - 0 - 2 ), which in this case was decoded by the μcode ROM  205 . Notably, every two processor cycles may result in two μ-ops being decoded and queued for execution, and as a result, an average decode throughput from the μcode ROM  202  to be at least one μ-op per processor cycle for complex x86 instructions executing in a multithreaded environment. 
         [0044]    The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. For example, in some embodiments, the processor  113  could be a superscalar processor that executes multiple instructions per processor cycle. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the processor  113  may be capable of performing out of order instruction execution. The claims should be interpreted to include any and all such variations and modifications. In addition, the above description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary, and is not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to these embodiments.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6