Compiler apparatus and method for unrolling a superblock in a computer program

摘要

A superblock unroller creates a superblock in a first instruction stream, and unrolls the superblock using different methods depending on the suitability of the superblock to different types of unrolling. The superblock unroller uses complete unrolling if a number of iterations of the superblock is sufficiently small and if the number of iterations is known at compile-time. The superblock unroller uses static unrolling if the number of iterations of the superblock is too large for complete unrolling and if the number of iterations is known at compile-time. The superblock unroller uses dynamic unrolling if the number of iterations of the superblock is unknown at compile-time. Each of these unrolling methods may include the insertion of count rectification code into the first instruction stream to account for execution that exits the superblock. Code performance may be improved by providing the sophisticated unrolling of superblocks disclosed herein.