Circuits for wide-window superscalar processors

Our program benchmarks and simulations of novel circuits indicate that large-window processors are feasible. Using our redesigned superscalar components, a large-window processor implemented in today’s technology can achieve an increase of 10–60% (geometric mean of 31%) in program speed compared to today’s processors. The processor operates at clock speeds comparable to today’s processors, but achieves significantly higher ILP. To measure the impact of a large window on clock speed, we design and simulate new implementations of the logic components that most limit the critical path of our large-window processor: the schedule logic and the wake-up logic. We use log-depth cyclic segmented prefix (CSP) circuits to reimplement these components. Our layouts and simulations of critical paths through these circuits indicate that our large-window processor could be clocked at frequencies exceeding 500MHz in today’s technology. Our commit logic and rename logic can also run at thes...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2000
• Where: ISCA
• Authors: Dana S. Henry, Bradley C. Kuszmaul, Gabriel H. Loh, Rahul Sami
• Keywords: Hardware, ISCA 2000, Large Window, Large-window Processor, Today’s Processors