Patent ID: 7343480

Claim:
A method for performing a fast context switch in a register file that includes a primary latch and a plurality of secondary latches having data outputs, the method comprising the steps of: (A) for a selected one secondary latch of the plurality of secondary latches, performing the steps of A1 and A2: (A1) storing a first value in the primary latch that corresponds to a selected thread; (A2) moving the first value in the primary latch to the selected one of the plurality of secondary latches; (B) storing a second value in the primary latch that corresponds to an active thread, where the active thread is different than the selected thread; (C) selecting a data output of the selected one secondary latch only from among each of the data outputs of the secondary latches for performing the context switch with the primary latch; and (D) performing the context switch in a single clock cycle between the primary latch and the selected one secondary latch that causes the second value in the primary latch to be stored in the selected one secondary latch, and that causes the first value in the selected one secondary latch to be stored in the primary latch.