Patent ID: 7322032

Claim:
In a computerized device configured with a lookup table having a plurality of decision instructions, a method for scheduling operation of a preferred operand source comprising the steps of: receiving a first operand from a first operand source; receiving a second operand from a second operand source; comparing the first operand from the first operand source with the second operand from the second operand source to form a comparison result; selecting a decision instruction from the table based upon the comparison result; and identifying a preferred operand source of the first operand source and the second operand source based upon the decision instruction; wherein: the step of receiving a first operand includes the step of extracting a first time stamp value from a first key associated with the first operand source, the step of receiving a second operand includes the step of extracting a second time stamp value from a second key associated with the second operand source, and the step of comparing includes the step of comparing the first time stamp value with the second time stamp value to form a first comparison result; further comprising the step of receiving a current time value and wherein the step of comparing further includes the steps of: subtracting one of the first time stamp value and the current time value from the other of the first time stamp value and the current time value to form a second comparison result; and subtracting one of the second time stamp value and the current time value from the other of the second time stamp value and the current time value to form a third comparison result; further comprising the step of forming an address based upon the first comparison result, the second comparison result, and the third comparison result, the address identifying a decision instruction in the table.