Predicting for all branch instructions in a bunch based on history register updated once for all of any taken branches in a bunch
US6055629A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 19, 1999 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 19, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3848
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for a prediction correlation between a first group of branch instructions in a bunch of instructions and a second group of branch instructions in a bunch of instructions is disclosed. The method includes indicating a direction of a plurality of branch instructions in a bunch of instructions. More particularly, the method includes building an address composed of an instruction fetch address and bits in a history register. The method accesses a bunch of instructions using the fetch address and accesses a prediction bits set from a branch history table using the composed address. The accessed bunch of instructions are processed. Further, the history register and the branch history table are updated to correlate a first group of a branch instructions in the accessed bunch of instructions to a second group of branch instructions in a next group of branch instructions in the bunch of instructions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.