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Boolean Processor

a processor and boolean technology, applied in the field of computing and microelectronics, can solve the problems of inefficiency associated with the processing of dnf equivalents of cnf expressions, large control operation, etc., and achieve the effects of enhancing computing performance, optimizing performance for computing complex boolean expressions, and building for speed and efficiency

Inactive Publication Date: 2008-06-12
JUNIVERSITI OF NORT KAROLINA EHT SHARLOTT
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]Embodiments of the general-purpose Boolean processor of the present invention incorporate an architecture that is designed to provide optimal performance for computing complex Boolean expressions. The Boolean processor is intended for use in, among other things, monitoring and automation applications. The Boolean processor is built for speed and efficiency via its ability to perform the short-circuit evaluation of Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF) Boolean expressions. The Boolean processor provides enhanced computing performance, in terms of the number of instructions required to perform equivalent operations, to that of other general-purpose architectures.

Problems solved by technology

Because of the complexity of the calculations that the microprocessor performs, the programs that control its operation are generally relatively large, requiring the use of mass storage devices to house them.
Disjunctive Normal Form (DNF) Boolean expressions can also be incorporated into the architecture of the microprocessor and / or the microcontroller, however, there are inefficiencies associated with the processing of the DNF equivalents of CNF expressions.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0064]If (Dev1=8 or Dev2=0) and (Dev3=10 or Dev2=0) and (Dev4=1 or Dev2=0) then Dev9=20

Micro-codeSequence #Instruction Register ValueOperation100000001 00001000 001OR200000010 00000000 001OR300000000 00000000 000AND400000011 00001010 001OR500000010 00000000 001OR600000000 00000000 000AND700000100 00000001 001OR800000010 00000000 001OR900000000 00000000 000AND1000001001 00010100 010End of Operation

example 2

[0065]If Dev7=22 goto 200

Else goto 100

SequenceMicro-code#Instruction Register ValueOperation100000111 00010110 001OR200000000 00000000 000AND300000000 11001000 101Conditional Jump400000000 01100100 100Unconditional Jump

[0066]A distinct characteristic of the Boolean processor 36 is the type of expressions it is designed to evaluate; namely expressions in CNF. Optionally, using the same single-bit register design, a DNF-based architecture can also be implemented. However, the architecture of the Boolean processor 36 focuses on CNF, providing the fastest and most scalable design.

[0067]Upon initial inspection of the two forms, CNF and DNF, an individual might be inclined to believe that the short-circuit evaluation of DNF expressions has benefits over short-circuited CNF expressions because the terms are OR'ed together and a positive result for any of the terms results in a completed evaluation. The same argument, in the false case, can be made for CNF evaluations. If any of the terms r...

example 3

Conjunctive Normal Form

[0068]If Dev2=0 and (Dev1=8 or Dev3=10 or Dev4=1) then Dev9=20

Micro-codeSequence #Instruction Register ValueOperation100000010 00000000 000AND200000001 00001000 001OR300000011 00001010 001OR400000100 00000001 001OR500001001 00010100 010End of Operation

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PUM

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Abstract

A processor including a Boolean logic unit, wherein the Boolean logic unit is operable for performing the short-circuit evaluation of Conjunctive Normal Form Boolean expressions / operations, a plurality of input / output interfaces, wherein the plurality of input / output interfaces are operable for receiving a plurality of compiled Boolean expressions / operations and transmitting a plurality of compiled results, and a plurality of registers. An associated processing method including starting an operation related to a Conjunctive Normal Form Boolean expression, wherein the Boolean expression comprises a conjunct, evaluating the conjunct, and selectively short-circuiting a portion of the Boolean expression.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This non-provisional patent application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 075,917, filed Feb. 13, 2002 and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60 / 268,471, 60 / 268,472, and 60 / 268,478, each filed Feb. 14, 2001, the entirety of all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to the computing and microelectronics fields. More specifically, the present invention relates to a Boolean-based processor architecture that is capable of the short-circuit evaluation of Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF) Boolean expressions. The Boolean processor of the present invention provides an inexpensive, scalable, and efficient means for computing in environments typically suited for application-specific microprocessors and microcontrollers, such as monitoring and automation environments.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]A microprocessor is a general-...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G06F9/305G06F9/308
CPCG06F9/3879G06F9/30018
Inventor KOCH, KENNETH ELMON
Owner JUNIVERSITI OF NORT KAROLINA EHT SHARLOTT
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