Patent ID: 7328329

Claim:
A device for controlling processing of incoming data elements, wherein threads are assigned to the data elements, comprising: a first unit to fetch a first unit instruction for processing a first data element; a second unit to fetch a second unit instruction for processing the first data element, wherein the second unit instruction succeeds a stipulated instruction of a stipulated thread; a first multiplexer having a first input to receive the first unit instruction and a second input to receive the second unit instruction and a control signal input, said multiplexer being configured to produce a selected instruction selected from the first unit instruction and a second unit instruction based on the multiplexer control signal; and a third unit configured to receive the selected instruction, comprising: a decoder to decode the selected instruction; a condition evaluator to evaluate a condition associated with repetitive execution of the first unit instruction; and a control signal generator receiving outputs from said condition evaluator and configured to generate at least one control signal including the first multiplexer control signal based, at least in part, on said outputs.