SiFive has been granted a patent for systems and methods for macro-op fusion in integrated circuits. This technology fuses sequences of macro-ops into single micro-ops for improved performance by avoiding the use of control-flow instructions. A fusion predictor is utilized to facilitate this process. GlobalData’s report on SiFive gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on SiFive, Vector processing optimization was a key innovation area identified from patents. SiFive's grant share as of January 2024 was 25%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Macro-op fusion in integrated circuits for improved performance
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11861365B2) discloses an integrated circuit designed to execute instructions efficiently. The circuit includes execution resource circuits for handling micro-ops that support an instruction set containing macro-ops. An instruction decode buffer stores macro-ops fetched from memory, while an instruction decoder circuit identifies sequences of macro-ops, particularly control-flow macro-ops, and determines equivalent micro-ops for execution by the execution resource circuits.
Moreover, the patent details a method associated with the integrated circuit, involving fetching macro-ops from memory, detecting sequences of macro-ops, determining corresponding micro-ops, and forwarding them for execution by the execution resource circuit. The method addresses various scenarios, such as conditional and unconditional jumps, branching instructions, and the handling of skipped macro-ops, showcasing the circuit's versatility in efficiently processing different types of instructions to enhance overall performance and functionality.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
