PROCESSING UNIT INCORPORATING VECTORIZABLE EXECUTION UNIT

A vectorizable execution unit is capable of being operated in a plurality of modes, with the processing lanes in the vectorizable execution unit grouped into different combinations of logical execution units in different modes. By doing so, processing lanes can be selectively grouped together to operate as different types of vector execution units and/or scalar execution units, and if desired, dynamically switched during runtime to process various types of instruction streams in a manner that is best suited for each type of instruction stream. As a consequence, a single vectorizable execution unit may be configurable, e.g., via software control, to operate either as a vector execution or a plurality of scalar execution units.