METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE FROM THIRTY-TWO TO SIXTY-FOUR BITS

摘要

A method for running computer procedures of different word sizes on a processor having registers designed to run procedures of a largest one of the word sizes including the steps of placing an indication in at least one of a number of the registers of the processor designating the word size of the procedure, providing save areas in memory for the register files of each of the word sizes, all of the save areas including at least one portion at the same address, that portion being a portion of the save area of the procedure of a smallest one of the word sizes, placing the indication held in at least one of anumber of the registers of the processor designating the word size of the procedure in the portion of the save areas having the same address each time a save operation occurs, and reviewing the indication in the portion of the save areas having the same address each time a restore operation occurs to determine the size of word in the procedure being restored. 82225.P189 -30-