Compute work distribution reference counters

摘要

One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for managing the allocation and release of resources during multi-threaded program execution. Programmable reference counters are initialized to values that limit the amount of resources for allocation to tasks that share the same reference counter. Resource parameters are specified for each task to define the amount of resources allocated for consumption by each array of execution threads that is launched to execute the task. The resource parameters also specify the behavior of the array for acquiring and releasing resources. Finally, during execution of each thread in the array, an exit instruction may be configured to override the release of the resources that were allocated to the array. The resources may then be retained for use by a child task that is generated during execution of a thread.

主权项

1. A method of allocating and releasing architectural resources in a multi-threaded system, the method comprising:
allocating the architectural resources to a first thread array including a first plurality of threads to execute a parent processing task; determining, by one or more threads included in the first plurality of threads and during execution of the parent processing task, whether a release of the architectural resources is to be overridden when a first thread included in the first plurality of threads has exited based on the existence of a child processing task generated from the parent processing task and associated with at least one thread included in the first plurality of threads; releasing the architectural resources when the first thread has exited and no thread included in the first plurality of threads has determined that the release of the architectural resources is to be overridden; and retaining the architectural resources when the first thread has exited and at least one of the one or more threads included in the first plurality of threads has determined that the release of the architectural resources is to be overridden.