MICROPROCESSOR CONFIGURED TO DETECT A GROUP OF INSTRUCTIONS AND TO PERFORM A SPECIFIC FUNCTION UPON DETECTION

A microprocessor is provided which includes a heuristic processing unit configured to detect a predefined group of instructions and to cause the performance of a specific function associated with the group of instructions. The specific function may correspond to the outcome of executing the group of instructions. Alternatively, the specific function may be a set of operations not directly corresponding to the group of instructions, but designed to improve the performance of the sequence of instructions within which the group of instructions is embedded. The heuristic processing unit asserts control signals to dedicated hardware to cause the specific function to be performed. Instruction sequences need not be modified from the instruction set employed by the microprocessor. The microprocessor detects the previously inefficient instruction sequences and performs the corresponding function efficiently.