PROCESSOR WITH CONDITIONED EXECUTION OF INSTRUCTION COUPLE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the performance of a process engine such as a digital signal processor. SOLUTION: In response to a 1st condition instruction, the process engine executes a 2nd instruction under some condition in a pipeline stage which can be selected for the process engine. A condition evaluating circuit is included in the process engine and evaluates the condition that the execution line of the 2nd instruction depends upon. Preferably, the 2nd instruction is executed under the condition in one group of pipeline stages which can be selected.