write 420 pe store 421 and for example four hardware assist write operation paths 422 425 an exemplary fourth hardware assist unit ha 4 438 may also use a path to a pe compute register file 444 or miscellaneous register file 445 for example for result storage read multiplexing 426 is shown for six units including dma read 426 pe load 427 and for example four hardware assist read operations 428 431 a pe 435 initiates operations on a hardware assist unit such as ha unit 438 when the pe 435 receives a hardware assist instruction 440 the pe 435 interfaces with the ha unit 438 through a command and data interface 442 examples of command controls include unique decode control signals that select a ha unit from a grouping of multiple ha units examples of data that may be used on the command and data interface 442 include a start address for ha memory operations ha parameter control such as stride and hold specification block size and type of operations which more suitably are provided through register passing from the pe 435 compute register file 444 the hardware assist units provide their own state machine control for memory addressing as initiated and controlled by the pe and operate independently of the pe once.