Architecture

6.2.5Status register and Cache register mode bit and exception processing

When the R3900 Processor Core responds to an exception, it saves the values of the current operating mode bit (KUc) and current interrupt enabled mode bit (IEc) in the previous mode bits (KUp and IEp). It saves the values of the previous mode bits (KUp and IEp) in the old mode bits (KUo and IEo). The current mode bits (KUc and IEc) are cleared to 0, with the processor going to kernel mode and interrupts disabled.

Likewise, the R3900 Processor Core saves the values of the current data cache auto-lock mode bit (DALc) and current instruction cache auto-lock mode bit (IALc) in the previous mode bits (DALp and IALp). It saves the values of the previous mode bits (DALp and IALp) in the old mode bits (DALo and IALo). The current mode bits (DALc and IALc) are cleared to 0, disabling the data cache and instruction cache lock functions.

Provision of these three-level mode bits means that, before the software saves the Status register contents, the R3900 Processor Core can respond to two levels of exceptions. Figure 6-6 shows the Status register and Cache register save operations used by the R3900 Processor Core in exception processing.

KUo IEo KUp IEp KUc

IEc

Exception raised

0 0

KUo IEo KUp IEp KUc

IEc

 

 

(a)

Status register

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

0

 

IAL

DAL

IAL

DAL

IAL

 

DAL

 

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

o

o

p

p

c

 

c

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exception raised

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

 

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

0

0

 

IAL

DAL

IAL

DAL

IAL

 

DAL

 

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

 

 

 

 

o

o

p

p

c

 

c

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

Cache register

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 6-6. Status regisuter and cache register when an exception is raised

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