Patent ID: 7069412

Claim:
A host microprocessor capable of executing a native instruction set and a plurality of foreign instruction sets, the microprocessor comprising: a memory system including: a plurality of virtual memory spaces, each based on a distinct virtual address translation scheme and defined by a distinct page table structure; wherein only one of the available virtual memory spaces (native virtual memory space) contains native instructions, executable directly by the microprocessor, and associated data; wherein all other virtual memory spaces (foreign virtual memory spaces) contain foreign instructions, which cannot be executed directly by the host microprocessor, and associated data; and wherein each foreign virtual memory space is defined so as to mimic a virtual memory space of a foreign microprocessor, and wherein the means for simulating execution of instructions from multiple foreign instruction sets includes means for simulating execution of instructions for each foreign microprocessor being mimicked; a single physical memory space; a plurality of hardware mechanisms, each associated with one of the virtual memory spaces, for translating a virtual address in the associated virtual memory space into a physical address for the physical memory space in accordance with the virtual address translation scheme for the associated virtual memory space; a plurality of memory access operations sets, wherein the number of the memory access operations sets equals the number of the virtual spaces; and means for simulating execution of instructions from multiple foreign instruction sets.