A data processing apparatus and method for moving data between registers and memory

• Main Authors: FORD, SIMON ANDREW, HINDS, CHRISTOPHER NEAL, SYMES, DOMINIC HUGO, LUTZ, DAVID RAYMOND, ROSE, ANDREW CHRISTOPHER
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 16.08.2005
• Subjects: CALCULATING; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; PHYSICS

A data processing apparatus and method are provided for moving data between registers and memory. The data processing apparatus comprises a register data store having a plurality of registers operable to store data elements. A processor is operable to perform in parallel a data processing operation on multiple data elements accessed in at least one of the registers. Access logic is operable in response to a single access instruction to move a plurality of data elements between specified registers and a continuous block of memory in which data elements are stored as an array of structures having a structure format, the structure format having a plurality of components. The single access instruction identifies the number of components in the structure format, and the access logic is further operable to rearrange the plurality of data elements as they are moved such that each specified register stores data elements of one component whilst in memory the data elements are stored as the array of structures.