Transmeta Corp has been granted a new patent – number 5,958,061 – which confirms the now generally-held belief that it is working on a very long instruction word processor that runs x86 and Windows-based applications. The new patent, entitled Host microprocessor with apparatus for temporarily holding target processor state describes a host processor capable of executing a first instruction set to assist in running instructions of a different instruction set which is translated to the first instruction set by the host processor.
In the application, Transmeta describes the microprocessor as having an enhanced hardware processing potion, which is much simpler than state of the art microprocessors, and an emulating software portion, in a manner that the two portions function together as a microprocessor with more capabilities than any known competitive microprocessor. One embodiment of the design, says Transmeta, includes approximately one-quarter of the number of gates of the Pentium Pro microprocessor yet runs X86 applications substantially faster than does the Pentium Pro microprocessor or any other known microprocessor capable of processing these applications. The full application can be found at http://www.uspto.gov/patft/index.html.
This is the fourth patent Transmeta has filed over the last two years, the others being Method and apparatus for aliasing memory data in an advanced microprocessor (No 5,926,832), Method and apparatus for correcting errors in computer systems (No 5,905,855), and Memory controller for a microprocessor for detecting a failure of speculation on the physical nature of a component being addressed (No 5,832,205). Transmeta may be preparing to officially outline its product plans at Comdex next month. á
