Computer with automatic mapping of memory contents into machine registers during program execution

摘要

A computer system arranged for faster processing operations by providing a stack cache in internal register memory. A full stack is provided in main memory. The stack cache provides a cache representation of part of the main memory stack. Stack relative addresses contained in procedure instructions are converted to absolute main memory stack addresses. A subset of the absolute main memory stack address is used to directly address the stack cache when a "hit" is detected. Otherwise, the main memory stack is addressed. The stack cache is implemented as a set of contiguously addressable registers. Two stack pointers are used to implement allocation space in the stack as a circulating buffer. Cache hits are detected by comparing the absolute stack address to the contents of the two circular buffer pointers. Space for a procedure is allocated upon entering a procedure. The amount of space to allocate is stored in the first instruction. Space is deallocated when a procedure is terminated. The deallocation space is stored in the first instruction executed after procedure termination.