Patent ID: 8051275

Claim:
Apparatus for processing data, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of execution units responsive to program instructions to execute data processing operations to generate processing results; at least one shared result path coupled to said plurality of execution units to carry said processing results generated by said plurality of execution units; and issue circuitry responsive to said program instructions to issue said data processing operations to said plurality of execution units for execution; wherein said issue circuitry controls execution of a given processing operation having a known processing time upon a given execution unit to generate a given processing result in dependence upon a determination using said known processing time and availability of said at least one shared result path to carry said given processing result when generated by said given execution unit, wherein said issue circuitry is responsive to a number of processing cycles that will be required to execute said given processing operation to determine a processing cycle in which said given processing result will be generated if issued and completely executed and at least does not permit complete execution of said given processing operation to generate said given processing result unless said at least one shared result path will be available to carry said given processing result when generated, wherein said given processing operation is issued independently of availability of said at least one shared result path but execution of said given processing operation is cancelled if said issue circuitry determines that said at least one shared result path will be unavailable when said given processing result will be generated.