Patent ID: 7401328

Claim:
A data processing system, comprising: a grouping tool for arranging a stream of instructions into a stream of grouped instructions which includes at least two instructions, said grouping tool including a signature annotation algorithm for annotating each group of instructions forming part of said stream of grouped instructions with a dimensionless signature which indicates an end to said group of instructions, said signature annotation algorithm annotating each group of instructions by reordering instructions forming each group of instructions contained in said stream of grouped instructions and said dimensionless signature comprised of the reordering of said instructions contained in said group of instructions; and a hardware processor, coupled to said grouping tool, for receiving said stream of grouped instructions and implementing an execution pipeline using said stream of grouped instructions received from said grouping tool, said hardware processor including a signature detection algorithm for identifying said dimensionless signatures which indicate the ends to said groups of instructions forming part of said stream of grouped instructions, said signature detection algorithm identifying each said group of instructions contained in said stream of grouped instructions by identifying a selected one of said reordered instructions in each said group of instructions; wherein said signature annotation algorithm reorders instructions forming each said group of instructions contained in said stream of grouped instructions to include a first stop-loss signature and wherein a group of instructions has a first stop-loss signature when a first instruction of said group of instructions has a first value, a last instruction of said group of instructions has a second value less than said first value and all instructions between said first instruction and said last instruction have values greater than said first value.