Branch predictor with serially connected predictor stages for improving branch prediction accuracy
US6374349B2 · kind B2 · utility
64Cited by
8References
28Claims
0Family size
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3848
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
System for accurately predicting the outcome of conditional branch instructions subject to execution in a pipelined processor digital computer. The system comprises a series of predictor stages utilizing different prediction algorithms. The stages are linked to successively refine branch predictions only where prediction accuracy from a previous stage is likely to be improved by a subsequent stage. Improvements to each stage and techniques for stage linkage are described.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.