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Designing HMO, an integrated hardware microcode optimizer

Published: 30 September 1974 Publication History

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, design integration problems, architectural requirements, and adaptability to conventional machine characteristics 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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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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S. G. Tucker, "Microprogram Control for System/360," IBM Systems Journal, Vol. 6, No. 4, pp. 222-241, 1967.
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R. H. Eckhouse, Jr., "A High-Level Microprogramming Language (MPL)," AFIPS Conference Proceedings, 38 (SJCC 1971), pp. 169-177.
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R. F. Rosin, "Contemporary Concepts of Microprogramming and Emulation," Computing Surveys, Vol. 1, No. 4, pp. 197-212, Dec., 1969.
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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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C. V. Ramamoorthy, M. Tabandeh, and M. Tsuchiya, "A Higher Level Language for Microprogramming," MICRO6 The Sixth Annual Workshop on Microprogramming, College Park, Maryland, Sept., 1973 (Preprints), pp. 139-144.
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H. Falk, "Hard-Soft Tradeoffs," IEEE Spectrum, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 34-39, Feb., 1974.
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A. K. Tirrell, "A Study of the Application of Compiler Techniques to the Generation of Micro-Code," Proc. of ACM SIGPLAN-SIGMICRO Interface Meeting, Harriman, New York, May, 1973 (Preprints), pp. 67-85.
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W. T. Wilner, "Design of the Burroughs B 1700," AFIPS Conference Proceedings, 41 (FJCC 1972), pp. 489-497.

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cover image ACM Conferences
MICRO 7: Conference record of the 7th annual workshop on Microprogramming
September 1974
322 pages
ISBN:9781450374217
DOI:10.1145/800118
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 30 September 1974

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