Patent ID: 7587583

Claim:
A method of operating a system including a stack machine and a processor that uses a stream of bytecodes for operation, the method comprising: A. fetching a WIDE opcode from the stream of bytecodes; B. determining whether the WIDE opcode is to be used as a prefix for an opcode that immediately follows the WIDE opcode in the stream of bytecodes; and C. when the WIDE opcode is not to be used as a prefix, performing a task assigned to the WIDE opcode, the performing a task including: i. using the WIDE opcode as an index into a vector table to locate an entry corresponding to the WIDE opcode; ii. when a bit in the entry is asserted, initiating direct execution of the WIDE opcode; and iii. when the bit in the entry is not asserted, triggering a micro-sequence referenced in the entry.