Indirect branch prediction
US10261798B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 2017 |
| Grant date | Apr 16, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3848
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and indirect branch predictor logic units to predict the target addresses of indirect branch instructions. The method comprises storing in a table predicted target addresses for indirect branch instructions indexed by a combination of the indirect path history for previous indirect branch instructions and the taken/not-taken history for previous conditional branch instructions. When a new indirect branch instruction is received for prediction, the indirect path history and the taken/not-taken history are combined to generate an index for the indirect branch instruction. The generated index is then used to identify a predicted target address in the table. If the identified predicted target address is valid, then the target address of the indirect branch instruction is predicted to be the predicted target address.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.