The development of the MU5 computer system

Abstract

Following a brief outline of the background of the MU5 project, the aims and ideas for MU5 are discussed. A description is then given of the instruction set, which includes a number of features conducive to the production of efficient compiled code from high-level language source programs. The design of the processor is then traced from the initial ideas for an associatively addressed “name store” to the final multistage pipeline structure involving a prediction mechanism for instruction prefetching and a function queue for array element accessing. An overall view of the complete MU5 complex is presented together with a brief indication of its performance.