Patent ID: 7702887

Claim:
A performance monitoring mechanism comprising: a count register configured to store a count corresponding to a detected event; a configuration register configured to store an indication as to what events are monitored; and circuitry configured to: update the count register from a first count to a first new count, the count register being configured to count events of a first type; detect an occurrence of an event of the first type; update the count register from the first new count to a second new count, in response to detecting the occurrence of the event; convey a trap indication responsive to detecting (i) the occurrence of the event, and (ii) determining the first new count is equal to or exceeds a predetermined value; and convey a trap indication responsive to detecting (i) the occurrence of the event, and (ii) determining the first new count is within a predetermined range of the predetermined value, and is less than the predetermined value, wherein the trap indication indicates that a number of events of the first type that have occurred is equal to or exceeds the predetermined value while the number of events of the first type that have occurred is less than the predetermined value.