Method and apparatus for performing a vector permute with an index and an immediate

Abstract

An apparatus and method for performing a vector permute. For example, one embodiment of a processor comprises: a source vector register to store a plurality of source data elements; a destination vector register to store a plurality of destination data elements; a control vector register to store a plurality of control data elements, each control data element corresponding to one of the destination data elements and including an N bit value indicating whether a source data element is to be copied to the corresponding destination data element; vector permute logic to compare the N bit value of each control data element to an N bit portion of an immediate to determine whether to copy a source data element to the corresponding destination data element, wherein if the N bit values match, then the vector permute logic is to identify a source data element using an index value included in the control data element and to responsively copy the source data element to the corresponding destination data element in the destination vector register.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processor comprising:
 a source vector register to store a plurality of source data elements;   a destination vector register to store a plurality of destination data elements;   a control vector register to store a plurality of control data elements, each control data element corresponding to one of the destination data elements and including an N bit value indicating whether a source data element is to be copied to the corresponding destination data element;   vector permute logic to compare the N bit value of each control data element to an N bit portion of an immediate to determine whether to copy a source data element to the corresponding destination data element, wherein if the N bit values match, then the vector permute logic is to identify a source data element using an index value included in the control data element and to responsively copy the source data element to the corresponding destination data element in the destination vector register.