Patent ID: 7856635

Claim:
One or more computer-readable storage media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to perform actions that facilitate thread context switching of a multi-tasking operating system comprising: executing a first execution thread; writing a first address extension to an extension register; concatenating the first address extension with a processor address signal to create a peripheral address signal used by the first execution thread; storing the first address extension in a location other than the extension register to provide a first stored address extension; interrupting execution of the first execution thread to execute a second execution thread; writing a second address extension to the extension register; concatenating the second address extension with a processor address signal to create a peripheral address signal used by the second execution thread; storing the second address extension in a location other than the extension register to provide a second stored address extension; subsequently, resuming execution of the first execution thread; restoring the first stored address extension to the extension register; and providing the first address extension associated with the the first thread to the-multi-tasking operating system from the extension register.