HMO, a hardware microcode optimizer
Pages 45 - 51
Abstract
This paper discusses an algorithm for optimizing the density and parallelism of microcoded routines in microprogrammable machines. Besides the algorithm itself, the algorithm's uses, adaptability to conventional machine characteristics, and architectural requirements are also discussed and analyzed. Even though the paper proposes a hardware implementation of the algorithm, the algorithm is viewed as an integral part of the entire microcode generation and usage process, from initial high-level input into a software microcode compiler down to machine-level execution of the resultant microcode on the host machine. It is believed that, by removing much of the traditionally time-consuming and machine-dependent microcode optimization from the software portion of this process, the algorithm can improve the overall process.
References
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R. K. Clark, "Mirager, the 'Best-Yet' Approach for Horizontal Microprogramming," Proceedings of ACM '72, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, 1972, pp. 554--560.
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M. Hattori, M. Yano, and K. Fujino, "MPGS: A High-Level Language for Microprogram Generating System," Proceedings of ACM '72, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, 1972, pp. 572--581.
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R. H. Eckhouse, Jr., "A High-Level Microprogramming Language (MPL)," AFIPS Conference Proceedings, Vol. 38 (SJCC 1971), pp. 169--177.
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M. J. Flynn and R. F. Rosin, "Microprogramming: An Introduction and a Viewpoint," IEEE Transactions on Computers, Vol. C-20, No. 7, pp. 727--731, July, 1971.
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S. S. Husson, Microprogramming: Principles and Practices. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1970, pp. 125--144.
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H. Falk, "Hard-Soft Tradeoffs," IEEE Spectrum, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 34--39, Feb., 1974.
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J. O. Bondi and P. D. Stigall, "HMO, An Integrated Hardware Microcode Optimizer," Proceedings of the Third Annual Texas Conference on Computing Systems, Austin, Texas, Nov., 1974 (Preprints).
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J. O. Bondi, Towards a Design of HMO, An Integrated Hardware Microcode Optimizer, University of Missouri-Rolla, Ph.D.E.E. Dissertation, Rolla, Missouri, Dec., 1974.
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J. O. Bondi and P. D. Stigall, "Designing HMO, An Integrated Hardware Microcode Optimizer," MICRO7 The Seventh Annual Workshop on Microprogramming, Palo Alto, California, Sept., 1974 (Preprints), pp. 268--276.
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January 1975
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Published: 01 December 1974
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