TESTING OPERATION OF MULTI-THREADED PROCESSOR HAVING SHARED RESOURCES

摘要

A method of testing simultaneous multi-threaded operation of a shared execution resource in a processor includes running test patterns including irritator threads and non-irritator threads that try to simultaneously use the shared execution resource. Synchronizing the starts of the access of the irritator threads and the non-irritator threads to the shared execution resource includes the initial instructions of the irritator thread disabling execution of the irritator thread using a thread management register, and the initial instructions of the non-irritator thread enabling the irritator thread using the thread management register and starting execution of the non-irritator thread. Ending access to the shared execution resource includes the irritator thread communicating to the non-irritator thread an address of an end of the irritator thread loop, and the non-irritator thread moving the irritator thread out of the loop using thread restart.

主权项

1. A method of testing simultaneous multi-threaded (SMT) functioning of a shared execution resource in a processor, the method comprising:
running test patterns including irritator threads and non-irritator threads that simultaneously access the shared execution resource; comparing results of the test patterns with expected results; providing instructions for the irritator threads and the non-irritator threads; and synchronizing the starts of the access of the irritator threads and the non-irritator threads to the shared execution resource, including the initial instructions of the irritator thread disabling execution of the irritator thread using a thread management register, and the initial instructions of the non-irritator thread enabling the irritator thread using the thread management register and starting execution of the non-irritator thread.