METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TOPK OPERATION

A method includes receiving a TopK instruction to sort a highest K elements of a vector data. A first K elements of the vector data are sorted and stored in a first register. Another element of the vector data is read and determined whether it has a value that is greater than or is within a range of values of the first K elements. A position of the another element within the first K elements is determined if the another element has a value within that is within the range of values. A subset of the elements of the first K elements that are smaller than the another element are shifted down after determining the position of the another element in the first K elements. The another element is inserted in the determined position after the shifting. The process is repeated for each remaining element of the vector data.