Opcode numbering for meta-data encoding

Abstract

A method for including opcode information in an opcode includes numbering the opcode such that a property of the opcode is represented by at least one bit of the opcode. According to one aspect, the number of data units required to advance to the next opcode is encoded into the opcode value itself. According to another aspect, opcodes are numbered such that opcodes having the same properties have opcode values in the same opcode range.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for encoding opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the method comprising encoding a property of the opcode in at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         2 . A method for including opcode information in a plurality of opcodes, each opcode including a plurality of bits, the method comprising numbering the opcodes such that opcodes having the same properties have opcode values in the same opcode range.  
     
     
         3 . A method for including opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the method comprising numbering the opcode such that a property of the opcode is represented by at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein opcodes comprise eight bits.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode are contiguous.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode comprise three bits.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the property comprises the length of a first opcode, the length equal to the number of data units required to advance to a second opcode.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode comprise the three most significant bits of the opcode.  
     
     
         9 . A method for extracting opcode information from an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the method comprising extracting a property from the opcode, the property including at least one bit.  
     
     
         10 . A method for decoding opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the method comprising decoding a property of the opcode from at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein extracting the property further comprises dividing the opcode by a power of two.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein opcodes comprise eight bits.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode are contiguous.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode comprise three bits.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the property comprises the length of a first opcode, the length equal to the number of data units required to advance to a second opcode.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the bits representing a property of each opcode comprise the three most significant bits of the opcode.  
     
     
         17 . A method for pre-processing a program file, the program file including a plurality of opcodes, the method comprising: 
 receiving the program file;    processing said program file to create at least one pre-processed program file, said at least one pre-processed program file including a plurality of opcodes, said processing including numbering opcodes within said at least one pre-processed program file such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and    storing said at least one pre-processed program file on a computer-readable medium.    
     
     
         18 . A method for executing a program, the program including a plurality of opcodes, the method comprising: 
 receiving the program;    renumbering opcodes within said program such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and    executing the program.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said executing further comprises extracting an opcode property from an opcode such that said opcode property may be used directly.  
     
     
         20 . An improved method for pre-loading Java™ classfiles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a Java™ classfile;  
 processing said Java™ classfile to create at least one pre-processed classfile, said at least one pre-processed classfile including a plurality of opcodes, said processing including numbering opcodes within said at least one pre-processed classfile such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and  
 storing said at least one pre-processed classfile on a computer-readable medium.  
 
     
     
         13 . An improved method for executing Java™ classfiles, the method comprising: 
 receiving a classfile, said classfile comprising a plurality of opcodes;  
 renumbering opcodes within said classfile such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and  
 executing said classfile.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said executing further comprises extracting an opcode property from an opcode such that said opcode property may be used directly.  
     
     
         23 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to encode opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the program storage device comprising a module comprising code for causing a machine to encode a property of the opcode in at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         24 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to include opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the program storage device comprising a module comprising code for causing a machine to number the opcode such that a property of the opcode is represented by at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         25 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to extract opcode information from an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the program storage device comprising a module comprising code for causing a machine to extract a property from the opcode, the property including at least one bit.  
     
     
         26 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to decode opcode information in an opcode, the opcode including a plurality of bits, the program storage device comprising a module comprising code for causing a machine to decode a property of the opcode from at least one bit of the opcode.  
     
     
         27 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to pre-process a program file, the program file including a plurality of opcodes, the program storage device comprising: 
 a first module comprising code for causing a machine to receive a program file;    a second module comprising code for causing a machine to process said program file to create at least one pre-processed program file, said at least one pre-processed program file including a plurality of opcodes, said processing including numbering opcodes within said at least one pre-processed program file such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and    a third module comprising code for causing a machine to store said at least one pre-processed program file on a computer-readable medium.    
     
     
         28 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to execute a program, the program including 
 a plurality of opcodes, the program storage device comprising: 
 a first module comprising code for receiving the program;  
 a second module comprising code for renumbering opcodes within said program such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and  
 a third module comprising code for executing the program.  
   
     
     
         29 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to pre-load Java™ classfiles, the program storage device comprising: 
 a first module comprising code for causing a machine to receive a Java™ classfile;  
 a second module comprising code for causing a machine to process said Java™ classfile to create at least one pre-processed classfile, said at least one pre-processed classfile including a plurality of opcodes, said processing including numbering opcodes within said at least one pre-processed classfile such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and  
 a third module comprising code for causing a machine to store said at least one pre-processed classfile on a computer-readable medium.  
 
     
     
         30 . A program storage device readable by a machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to execute Java™ classfiles, the program storage device comprising: 
 a first module comprising code for causing a machine to receive a classfile, said classfile comprising a plurality of opcodes;  
 a second module comprising code for causing a machine to renumber opcodes within said classfile such that at least one opcode property is encoded in at least one opcode; and  
 a third module comprising code for causing a machine to execute said classfile.