Data processing

Abstract

A data processor comprises a plurality of interconnected real processing units arranged to emulate the operation of an emulated processor having a plurality of interconnected emulated processing units. At least one emulated processing unit is emulated by contributions from two or more real processing units; and at least one real processing unit contributes to emulating two or more emulated processing units.

1 . A data processor comprising a plurality of interconnected emulating processing units arranged to emulate the operation of an emulated processor having a plurality of interconnected emulated processing units, in which:
 at least one emulated processing unit is emulated by contributions from two or more emulating processing units; and   at least one emulating processing unit contributes to emulating two or more emulated processing units.   
   
   
       2 . A data processor according to  claim 1 , in which the emulating processing units communicate with one another by a message-passing communication protocol. 
   
   
       3 . A data processor according to  claim 2 , in which the emulating processing units are arranged to synchronise emulated operations via the message-passing communication protocol. 
   
   
       4 . A data processor according to  claim 2 , in which the emulating processing units are interconnected by a circular data bus. 
   
   
       5 . A data processor according to  claim 4 , in which the data bus is bidirectional. 
   
   
       6 . A data processor according to  claim 1 , comprising a supervisory processor to interpret instructions relating to an emulated processor and provide information to the emulating processing units to allow the interpreted instructions to be executed. 
   
   
       7 . A data processor according to  claim 6 , in which the information supplied to the emulating processing units comprises object code, native to the emulating processing units. 
   
   
       8 . A data processor according to  claim 6 , in which the supervisory processor is operable to vary the allocation of emulation tasks to the emulating processing units, so as to change which emulated processing units are emulated by an emulating processing unit. 
   
   
       9 . A data processing method relating to a system having a plurality of interconnected emulating processing units arranged to emulate the operation of an emulated processor having a plurality of interconnected emulated processing units;
 the method comprising the steps of:   emulating an emulated processing unit by contributions from two or more emulating processing units; and   emulating two or more emulated processing units by one emulating processing unit.   
   
   
       10 . Computer software for carrying out a method according to  claim 9 . 
   
   
       11 . A medium by which computer software according to  claim 10  is provided. 
   
   
       12 . A medium according to  claim 11 , the medium being a storage medium. 
   
   
       13 . A medium according to  claim 11 , the medium being a transmission medium.