Author: claimsbot

1. A scotch yoke fluid device which includes:
a crank including a big end having an axis which orbits about a main axis for the crank;
connecting means mounted on the big end axis;
at least one piston mounted for reciprocal motion in a cylinder along a piston axis, the piston having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the piston axis, the piston having guide means including a linear surface transverse to the piston axis, the guide means engaging engagement means on the connecting means; and
at least one restraining means for constraining the piston to move along the piston axis;
wherein the piston guide means bisects the piston cross-sectional area and at least part of each restraining means is located within a volume defined by the piston cross-sectional area projected along the piston axis, but is not located along the center line of the bisection formed by the piston guide means,
characterised in that at least one of:
i) the or at least one of the restraining means; and
ii) a constraining means for the or at least one of the restraining means always extends into a volume defined by the swept area of the crank projected along the main axis of the crank.
2. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the constraining means includes a groove or channel into which the restraining means fits.
3. The fluid device of claim 2, wherein the constraining means is formed in or bolted to a crank case.
4. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the restraining means andor the constraining means meets the circumference of the swept volume of the crank.
5. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the restraining means andor the constraining means crosses the circumference of the swept volume of the crank.
6. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the constraining means is relocatable.
7. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the constraining means comprises one or more rollers.
8. The fluid device of claim 1, having more than one piston.
9. The fluid device of claim 1, wherein the or at least one piston is combined with the connecting means.
10. The fluid device of claim 9, wherein the combined piston and connecting means is composed of a fiber composite.
11. The fluid device of claim 10, wherein the fiber composite includes non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape.
12. The fluid device of claim 10, wherein the fiber composite is a carbon-carbon composite or a composite using fibers chosen from the group: Kevlar carbon, copper strands, glass, plastic or a combination of two or more of the foregoing.
13. The fluid device of claim 11, wherein the non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape is mixed with aligned material into a resin.
14. The fluid device of claim 10, wherein the fiber composite also includes metal.
15. The fluid device of claim 14, wherein the metal is aluminum.
16. A scotch yoke fluid device which includes:
a crank including a big end having an axis which orbits about a main axis for the crank;
connecting means mounted on the big end axis;
at least one piston mounted for reciprocal motion in a cylinder along a piston axis, the piston having a cross-sectional area perpendicular to the piston axis, the piston having guide means including a linear surface transverse to the piston axis, the guide means engaging engagement means on the connecting means; and
at least one restraining means for constraining the piston to move along the piston axis;
wherein the piston guide means bisects the piston cross-sectional area and at least part of each restraining means is located within a volume defined by the piston cross-sectional area projected along the piston axis, but is not located along the center line of the bisection formed by the piston guide means,
characterised in that the at least one piston is combined with the connecting means.
17. The fluid device of claim 16, wherein the combined piston and connecting means is composed of a fiber composite.
18. The fluid device of claim 17, wherein the fiber composite includes non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape.
19. The fluid device of claim 17, wherein the fiber composite is a carbon-carbon composite or a composite using fibers chosen from the group: Kevlar carbon, copper strands, glass, plastic or a combination of two or more of the foregoing.
20. The fluid device of claim 18, wherein the non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape is mixed with aligned material into a resin.
21. The fluid device of claim 17, when the fiber composition also includes metal.
22. The fluid device of claim 21, wherein the metal is aluminum.
23. A component suitable for a scotch yoke fluid device including the device of claim 1, the component being composed of a fiber composite.
24. The component as claimed in claim 23, wherein the fiber composite includes non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape.
25. The component of claim 23, wherein the fiber composite is a carbon-carbon composite or a composite using fibers chosen from the group: Kevlar carbon, copper strands, glass, plastic or a combination of two or more of the foregoing.
26. The component of claim 24, wherein the non-aligned material andor chopped strand tape is mixed with aligned material into a resin.
27. The composite of claim 23, wherein the fiber component also includes metal.
28. The component of claim 27, wherein the metal is aluminum.
29. A component suitable for a scotch yoke fluid device including the device of claim 16, the component being composed of a fiber composite.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A plurality of systems each including a vehicle and at least one consumer installable vehicle floor tray, comprising:
a first vehicle having a first foot well having a first upper surface including a first foot well floor, a generally longitudinal first foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor, a generally transverse second foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor at an angle to the first wall, and a generally longitudinal third foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor substantially at an angle to the second foot well wall, at least a portion of the first upper surface being compressible carpeting;
a second vehicle having a second foot well having a second upper surface including a second foot well floor, a generally longitudinal fourth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor, a generally transverse fifth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor at an angle to the first foot well wall, and a generally longitudinal sixth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor substantially at an angle to the fifth foot well wall, at least a portion of the second upper surface being compressible carpeting;
a first vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the first foot well, the first floor tray having
a first tray central panel substantially conforming to the first foot well floor;
a first upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the first upstanding tray wall, the second upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel; and
a third upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the second upstanding tray wall and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the second foot well, the second floor tray having
a second tray central panel substantially conforming to the second foot well floor and having a second tray central panel upper surface;
a fourth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel;
a fifth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fourth upstanding tray wall and upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel; and
a sixth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fifth upstanding tray wall, the sixth upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a lateral side of the second tray central panel;
wherein the first, second, and third upstanding tray walls each have a first top margin and a first outer surface facing the first upper surface of the first foot well, the fourth, fifth, and sixth upstanding tray walls each have a second top margin and a second outer surface facing the second upper surface of the second foot well, and, for each of the first, second and third upstanding tray walls, at least ninety percent of at least that one-third of the first outer surface which is adjacent to the respective first top margin being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the first upper surface, and, for each of the fourth, fifth and sixth upstanding tray walls, at least ninety percent of at least that one-third of the second outer surface which is adjacent the respective second top margin being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the second upper surface.
2. The systems of claim 1, wherein the first central panel has an upper surface, the first central panel upper surface comprising a first central panel general surface and a first bottom reservoir surface of a first reservoir, the first bottom reservoir surface occupying a portion of the first central panel upper surface and being disposed below the first central panel general surface.
3. The systems of claim 2, wherein the first reservoir has a plurality of upstanding, hollow, elongate baffles, the baffles adapted to elevate a shoe or foot of an occupant above fluid collected in the first reservoir and to impede lateral movement of fluid collected in the first reservoir.
4. The systems of claim 2, wherein the first reservoir is disposed in a rearward region of the first tray central panel.
5. The systems of claim 1, wherein the first upper surface of the first foot well further comprises a first door sill plate disposed outboard from the first foot well floor, and the first floor tray further includes a first door sill plate panel joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel, the first tray central panel having an outboard side, the first door sill plate panel extending horizontally in an outboard direction from the first tray central panel so as to extend over the first door sill plate.
6. The systems of claim 1, wherein the third foot well wall is a kick plate, the first outer surface of the third upstanding tray wall facing the kick plate of the first foot well.
7. The systems of claim 1, wherein the first foot well further has a generally transverse seventh seat pedestal wall extending at an angle from the first foot well wall, the first floor tray having a seventh upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the first upstanding tray wall, an outer surface of the seventh tray wall facing the seventh seat pedestal wall.
8. The systems of claim 1, wherein the first top margins are continuous, forward ends of the first and third upstanding tray walls being joined to the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the first upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the first upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the third upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the third upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall; and
the second top margins being continuous, forward ends of the fourth and sixth upstanding tray walls being joined to the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the fourth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the fourth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the sixth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the sixth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall.
9. A plurality of vehicle floor tray systems, comprising:
a first vehicle having a first foot well having a first upper surface including a first foot well floor, a generally longitudinal first foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor, a generally transverse second foot well wall extending upwardly at an angle to the first wall, and a generally longitudinal third foot well wall extending upwardly substantially at an angle to the second foot well wall, at least a portion of the first upper surface being compressible carpeting;
a second vehicle having a second foot well having a second upper surface including a second foot well floor, a generally longitudinal fourth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor, a generally transverse fifth foot well wall extending upwardly at an angle to the first foot well wall, and a generally longitudinal sixth foot well wall extending substantially at an angle to the second foot well wall, at least a portion of the second upper surface being compressible carpeting, the second foot well being differently shaped from the first foot well;
a first vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the first foot well, the first floor tray having
a first tray central panel substantially conforming to the first foot well floor;
a first upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the upstanding first tray wall, the second upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a third upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the second foot well, the second floor tray having
a second tray central panel substantially conforming to the second foot well floor;
a fourth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel;
a fifth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fourth upstanding tray wall, the fifth upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel;
a sixth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fifth upstanding tray wall, the sixth upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel;
wherein the first, second, and third upstanding tray walls each have a first top margin and a first outer surface facing the first upper surface of the first foot well, the fourth, fifth, and sixth upstanding tray walls each having a second top margin and a second outer surface facing the second upper surface of the second foot well, and, for each of the first, second and third upstanding tray walls, at least ninety percent of that one-half of the area of the first outer surface which is adjacent to the respective first top margin being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the first upper surface, and, for each of the fourth, fifth and sixth upstanding tray walls, at least ninety percent of that one-half of the area of the second outer surface which is adjacent to the respective second top margin being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the second upper surface.
10. The systems of claim 9, wherein the first vehicle foot well includes a vehicle door sill plate disposed outboard from the first foot well floor, and the first floor tray further comprises a sill plate panel integrally formed with and joined to the first tray central panel to extend in an outboard direction therefrom to substantially conform to the vehicle door sill plate.
11. The systems of claim 9, wherein the first vehicle foot well includes a vehicle door sill curve surface disposed outboard from the first foot well floor and aft from the third foot well wall, the first floor tray further comprising a sill curve panel integrally formed with and joined to the third upstanding tray wall and extending aft therefrom to cover the vehicle door sill curve surface.
12. The systems of claim 9, wherein the first top margins are continuous, forward ends of the first and third upstanding tray walls being joined to the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the first upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the first upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the third upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the third upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall; and
the second top margins being continuous, forward ends of the fourth and sixth upstanding tray walls being joined to the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the fourth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the fourth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the sixth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the sixth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall.
13. A plurality of vehicle floor tray systems each including a vehicle and a tray for removable installation by a consumer into a foot well of the vehicle, comprising:
a first vehicle having a first foot well having a first upper surface including a first foot well floor, a generally longitudinal first foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor, a generally transverse second foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor at an angle to the first foot well wall, and a generally longitudinal third foot well wall extending upwardly from the first foot well floor substantially at an angle to the second foot well wall, at least a portion of the first upper surface being compressible carpeting;
a second vehicle having a second foot well having a second upper surface including a second foot well floor, a generally longitudinal fourth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor, a generally transverse fifth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor at an angle to the fourth foot well wall, and a generally longitudinal sixth foot well wall extending upwardly from the second foot well floor substantially at an angle to the fifth foot well wall, at least a portion of the second upper surface being compressible carpeting, a shape of the first foot well being different from a shape of the second foot well;
a first vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the first foot well, the first floor tray having
a first tray central panel substantially conforming to the first foot well floor;
a first upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the first upstanding tray wall, the second upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a third upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the first tray central panel and the second upstanding tray wall, the third upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a longitudinal lateral side of the first tray central panel;
a second vehicle floor tray molded of polymeric material and for fitting into the second foot well, the second floor tray having
a second tray central panel substantially conforming to the second foot well floor;
a fourth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and upwardly extending from a longitudinally disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel;
a fifth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fourth upstanding tray wall, the fifth upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a transversely disposed lateral side of the second tray central panel; and
a sixth upstanding tray wall joined to and integrally formed with the second tray central panel and the fifth upstanding tray wall, the sixth upstanding tray wall upwardly extending from a longitudinal lateral side of the second tray central panel;
wherein the first, second, and third upstanding tray walls each have a first top margin and a first outer surface facing the first upper surface of the first foot well, the fourth, fifth, and sixth upstanding tray walls each having a second top margin and a second outer surface facing the second upper surface of the second foot well, at least fifty percent of the first outer surfaces being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the first upper surface, at least fifty percent of the second outer surfaces being no more than one-eighth of an inch from the second upper surface.
14. The systems of claim 13, wherein the first vehicle foot well includes a vehicle door sill plate disposed outboard from the first foot well floor, and the first floor tray further comprises a sill plate panel integrally formed with and joined to the first tray central panel to extend in an outboard direction therefrom to cover the vehicle door sill plate.
15. The systems of claim 13, wherein the first vehicle foot well includes a vehicle door sill curve surface disposed outboard from the first foot well floor and aft from the third foot well wall, the first floor tray further comprising a sill curve panel integrally formed with and joined to the third upstanding tray wall and extending aft therefrom to substantially conform to the vehicle door sill curve surface.
16. The systems of claim 13, wherein the first top margins are continuous, forward ends of the first and third upstanding tray walls being joined to the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the first upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the first upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall, a height of the third upstanding tray wall and a height of the second upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the third upstanding tray wall and the second upstanding tray wall; and
the second top margins being continuous, forward ends of the fourth and sixth upstanding tray walls being joined to the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the fourth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the fourth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall, a height of the sixth upstanding tray wall and a height of the fifth upstanding tray wall being substantially similar to each other at the junction of the sixth upstanding tray wall and the fifth upstanding tray wall.

1-5. (canceled)
6. A plant for producing cement, comprising:
a first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder,
a second stage for calcining and sintering the raw powder to form cement clinker,
a third stage for cooling the sintered cement clinker, and
a fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement,
wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are combined structurally.
7. The plant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are each constructed as a circulating grinding system with separators, wherein at least one gas feed line leads from the remaining stages of the plant into the first stage and into the fourth stage, and conduct gas for separating the circulating grinding systems of the first stage and fourth stage.
8. The plant as claimed in claim 7, wherein the separators are separated structurally from the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and from the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement.
9. The plant as claimed in claim 8, wherein the separator for the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder is connected to a feed line for waste gases from a heat exchanger from the second stage for calcining and sintering the raw material to form cement clinker, and wherein the separator for the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement is connected to a feed line for heated cooling air from the third stage for cooling the sintered cement clinker.
10. The plant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are mutually identical grinding systems, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the grinding systems.
11. The plant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are high pressure roller presses, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the high pressure roller presses.
12. The plant as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are mutually identical grinding systems, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the grinding systems.
13. The plant as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are high pressure roller presses, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the high pressure roller presses.
14. The plant as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are mutually identical grinding systems, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the grinding systems.
15. The plant as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are high pressure roller presses, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the high pressure roller presses.
16. The plant as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are mutually identical grinding systems, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the grinding systems.
17. The plant as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first stage for crushing raw material to form raw powder and the fourth stage for crushing the sintered cement clinker to form cement are high pressure roller presses, wherein an apparatus is provided for distributing the ground material to the first stage and the fourth stage, which distributes the respective ground material variably to the high pressure roller presses.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method, in a data processing system, for controlling rollover or reset of hardware performance counters that count events occurring within the data processing system, comprising:
receiving, in ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic of the data processing system, a signal indicating that a rollover or reset of a first hardware performance counter has occurred;
determining, by the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic, if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters;
sending, by the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic, a signal to each of the one or more second hardware performance counters in response to a determination that the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to the one or more second hardware performance counters; and
resetting each of the one or more second hardware performance counters to an initial value in response to the one or more second hardware performance counters receiving the signal from the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters comprises retrieving a defined ganged hardware performance counter set corresponding to the first hardware performance counter, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set comprises identifiers of the one or more second hardware performance counters identifying the one or more second hardware performance counters as being related to the first hardware performance counter.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is either defined manually by a human user or automatically by an analytical tool based on a way in which the first hardware performance counter and the one or more second hardware performance counters are used by the analytical tool.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is stored in a ganged counters data structure associated with the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic, and wherein determining if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters comprises performing a lookup operation in the ganged counters data structure based on an identity of the first hardware performance counter.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
prior to resetting the one or more second hardware performance counters, storing a state of the one or more second hardware performance counters in counter state storage logic.
6. The method of claim 2, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is defined by a human user via a user interface of a performance analysis tool, and wherein the user interface provides a listing of the hardware performance counters that are available in the data processing system and user interface elements for specifying which ones of the hardware performance counters are analytically related to one another.
7. The method of claim 2, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is defined automatically by an analytical tool based on an analysis of analysis rules used by a performance analysis tool to determine which counter values together affect decisions made by the performance analysis tool using the analysis rules.
8. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to control rollover or reset of hardware performance counters that count events occurring within the computing device by:
receiving a signal indicating that a rollover or reset of a first hardware performance counter has occurred;
determining if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters;
sending a signal to each of the one or more second hardware performance counters in response to a determination that the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to the one or more second hardware performance counters; and
resetting each of the one or more second hardware performance counters to an initial value in response to the one or more second hardware performance counters receiving the signal from the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic.
9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein determining if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters comprises retrieving a defined ganged hardware performance counter set corresponding to the first hardware performance counter, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set comprises identifiers of the one or more second hardware performance counters identifying the one or more second hardware performance counters as being related to the first hardware performance counter.
10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is either defined manually by a human user or automatically by an analytical tool based on a way in which the first hardware performance counter and the one or more second hardware performance counters are used by the analytical tool.
11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is stored in a ganged counters data structure associated with the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic, and wherein determining if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters comprises performing a lookup operation in the ganged counters data structure based on an identity of the first hardware performance counter.
12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:
store, prior to resetting the one or more second hardware performance counters, a state of the one or more second hardware performance counters in counter state storage logic.
13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is defined by a human user via a user interface of a performance analysis tool, and wherein the user interface provides a listing of the hardware performance counters that are available in the data processing system and user interface elements for specifying which ones of the hardware performance counters are analytically related to one another.
14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is defined automatically by an analytical tool based on an analysis of analysis rules used by a performance analysis tool to determine which counter values together affect decisions made by the performance analysis tool using the analysis rules.
15. An apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of hardware performance counters; and
ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic coupled to the plurality of hardware performance counters, wherein the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic is configured to:
receive a signal indicating that a rollover or reset of a first hardware performance counter of the processor has occurred;
determine if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters;
send a signal to each of the one or more second hardware performance counters in response to a determination that the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to the one or more second hardware performance counters; and
reset each of the one or more second hardware performance counters to an initial value in response to the one or more second hardware performance counters receiving the signal from the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic determines if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters by retrieving a defined ganged hardware performance counter set corresponding to the first hardware performance counter, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set comprises identifiers of the one or more second hardware performance counters identifying the one or more second hardware performance counters as being related to the first hardware performance counter.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is either defined manually by a human user or automatically by an analytical tool based on a way in which the first hardware performance counter and the one or more second hardware performance counters are used by the analytical tool.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is stored in a ganged counters data structure associated with the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic, and wherein the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic determines if the first hardware performance counter is analytically related to one or more second hardware performance counters by performing a lookup operation in the ganged counters data structure based on an identity of the first hardware performance counter.
19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ganged hardware performance counter rolloverreset logic is further configured to store, prior to resetting the one or more second hardware performance counters, a state of the one or more second hardware performance counters in counter state storage logic.
20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the defined ganged hardware performance counter set is either:
defined by a human user via a user interface of a performance analysis tool, and wherein the user interface provides a listing of the hardware performance counters that are available in the data processing system and user interface elements for specifying which ones of the hardware performance counters are analytically related to one another; or
defined automatically by an analytical tool based on an analysis of analysis rules used by a performance analysis tool to determine which counter values together affect decisions made by the performance analysis tool using the analysis rules.