Patent US2654079A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3980992A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US3980992A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multi-microprocessing unit on a single semiconductor chip

Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1974-11-26
•
Granted: 1976-09-14
•
Expires: 1994-11-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract This disclosure relates to a multimicroprocessor unit which is adapted for implementation in a single MOS semiconductor chip, which unit includes a plurality of sets of registers where each set represents a different processing capability. The unit further includes common elements which are shared by the different sets of registers in a time multiplex manner. The shared elements include two scratch pad memories, an arithmetic logic unit, and a control unit which incorporates a composite read only memory from which control signals are fetched to initiate the respective data transfers and arithmetic operations. This control memory acts as a decoder for encoded microinstructions retrieved from outside of the multi-processor unit. In this sense, the present invention employs both vertical and horizontal microprogramming as those terms are conventionally defined. The different sets of dedicated registers are formed of 4-bit shift registers so as to permit a four-way time slicing among the processing capabilities.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bernardo Navarro Levy
  • 👤 David Chin-Chung Lee

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 14:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/22; G06F9/28; G06F15/00; G06F15/16; G06F15/163; G06F15/167; G06F15/76; G06F15/80; G06F15/8007; G06F9/30; G06F9/38; G06F9/3836; G06F9/3851

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 239 words
A data processing system for executing a plurality of concurrent processes, said system comprising: a first memory to store sets of encoded microinstructions, each set of encoded microinstructions to execute a different process; a first plurality of sets of registers to temporarily store different sets of data corresponding to said different processes; a logic unit to perform logical operations on said data, said logic unit being coupled to said first plurality of sets of registers to receive data therefrom; a control unit including a control memory in which sets of control signals are stored in the form of unpacked microinstructions, said control memory being connected to said first memory to receive encoded microinstructions therefrom and to said first plurality of sets of registers and said logic unit to provide said sets of control signals thereto in response to the decoding of encoded microinstructions; and addressing means coupled to said first memory and including a second plurality of registers to store microinstruction addresses to select from said first memory, in a sequential order, one encoded microinstruction from each set of encoded microinstructions for transfer to said control unit to fetch sets of control signals in the form of an unpacked microinstruction and initiate logic operations to be performed on said different sets of data in said sequential order, each set of data being fetched from said first plurality of sets of registers in response to said sets of control signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 239 words
A data processing system for executing a plurality of concurrent processes, said system comprising: a first memory to store sets of encoded microinstructions, each set of encoded microinstructions to execute a different process; a first plurality of sets of registers to temporarily store different sets of data corresponding to said different processes; a logic unit to perform logical operations on said data, said logic unit being coupled to said first plurality of sets of registers to receive data therefrom; a control unit including a control memory in which sets of control signals are stored in the form of unpacked microinstructions, said control memory being connected to said first memory to receive encoded microinstructions therefrom and to said first plurality of sets of registers and said logic unit to provide said sets of control signals thereto in response to the decoding of encoded microinstructions; and addressing means coupled to said first memory and including a second plurality of registers to store microinstruction addresses to select from said first memory, in a sequential order, one encoded microinstruction from each set of encoded microinstructions for transfer to said control unit to fetch sets of control signals in the form of an unpacked microinstruction and initiate logic operations to be performed on said different sets of data in said sequential order, each set of data being fetched from said first plurality of sets of registers in response to said sets of control signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
A data processing system according to claim 1 wherein: individual ones of said registers within said second plurality of registers are coupled together for transfer of said microinstruction addresses there-through in a sequential manner.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 24 words
A data processing system according to claim 2 wherein: said coupled registers are formed of a plurality of sequential shift registers coupled in parallel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
A data processing system according to claim 1 wherein: said control memory is a read only memory.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 17 words
A data processing system according to claim 4 wherein: said control memory comprises a semiconductor device matrix.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 32 words
A data processing system according to claim 1 including: a third memory coupled to said first plurality of sets of registers, said third memory storing data to be processed by said system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
A data processing system according to claim 6 wherein; said first memory is a read only memory and said third memory is a random access memory.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 245 words
A data processing system for executing a plurality of concurrent processes, said system comprising: a first memory to store sets of encoded microinstructions, each set of microinstructions to execute a different process; and a semiconductor chip, said chip including: a first plurality of sets of registers to temporarily store sets of data, each set of data to be processed by a different process; a logic unit connected to said first plurality of sets of registers to receive data and perform logical operations thereon; a control unit including a control memory in which sets of control signals are stored in the form of unpacked microinstructions, said control memory being connected to said first memory to receive encoded microinstructions therefrom and to said first plurality of sets of registers and said logic unit to provide said sets of control signals thereto in response to the decoding of encoded microinstructions; and addressing means coupled to said first memory and including a second plurality of registers to store microinstruction addresses to select from said first memory, in a sequential order, one encoded microinstruction from each set of encoded microinstructions for transfer to said control unit to fetch sets of control signals in the form of an unpacked microinstruction and activate said logic unit to receive and perform logic operations upon said data according to said sequential order, each set of data being fetched from said first plurality of sets of registers in response to said sets of control signals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 245 words
A data processing system for executing a plurality of concurrent processes, said system comprising: a first memory to store sets of encoded microinstructions, each set of microinstructions to execute a different process; and a semiconductor chip, said chip including: a first plurality of sets of registers to temporarily store sets of data, each set of data to be processed by a different process; a logic unit connected to said first plurality of sets of registers to receive data and perform logical operations thereon; a control unit including a control memory in which sets of control signals are stored in the form of unpacked microinstructions, said control memory being connected to said first memory to receive encoded microinstructions therefrom and to said first plurality of sets of registers and said logic unit to provide said sets of control signals thereto in response to the decoding of encoded microinstructions; and addressing means coupled to said first memory and including a second plurality of registers to store microinstruction addresses to select from said first memory, in a sequential order, one encoded microinstruction from each set of encoded microinstructions for transfer to said control unit to fetch sets of control signals in the form of an unpacked microinstruction and activate said logic unit to receive and perform logic operations upon said data according to said sequential order, each set of data being fetched from said first plurality of sets of registers in response to said sets of control signals.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 16 words
A data processing system according to claim 8 wherein: said semiconductor chip is an MOS device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
A data processing system according to claim 8 wherein: said registers are formed of unipolar field effect transistors.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3597641A Cited
US3641511A Cited
US3758761A Cited
US3757306A Cited
US3786436A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-09-14 1980-03-15 1980-09-14 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-09-14 1984-03-15 1984-09-14 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-09-14 1988-03-15 1988-09-14 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag