Microprocessor capable of decoding two instructions in parallel

Claim 1

A microprocessor comprising: a fetch unit which fetches fast and second instructions each having an instruction length of predetermined bit width, from outside said microprocessor, and which delivers the first and second instructions to output lines in parallel, said output lines having a bit width that is at least double the predetermined bit width; a first instruction decoder whose input is supplied with the first instruction on said output lines of said fetch unit and which outputs a first decoded result; a second instruction decoder whose input is supplied with the second instruction on said output lines of said fetch unit and which outputs a second decoded result; a control unit which is supplied with the first decoded result of said first instruction decoder and the second decoded result of said second instruction decoder; and an instruction execution unit which responds to an output from said control unit; wherein said control unit includes a selector, a first input and a second input of which are respectively supplied with said second decoded result of said second instruction decoder and a non-execution command instruction, and wherein a control input is supplied to the selector for controlling as the output a selection of either the second decoded result or the non-execution command instruction based upon information indicating a determined instruction length of the first instruction relative to the predetermined bit width; wherein under a valid-indicating condition said information indicates that the determined instruction length is the predetermined bit length, and said selector selects the second decoded result and said control unit transmits the first decoded result of said first instruction decoder and the second decoded result of said second instruction decoder to the output of said control unit, so that said instruction execution unit executes the first instruction and the second instruction in parallel in response to the decoded results of said first and second instruction decoders transmitted as the output of said control unit; and, wherein under an invalid-indicating condition said information indicates that the determined instruction length is longer than the predetermined bit width, and said selector selects the non-execution command instruction and said control unit transmits the first decoded result of said first instruction decoder and the non-execution command instruction as the output of said control unit in order to invalidate the second decoded result of said second instruction decoder.