Hardware/software system for profiling instructions and selecting a trace using branch history information for branch predictions
US6647491B2 · kind B2 · utility
19Cited by
26References
20Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2001 |
| Grant date | Nov 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 30, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3844
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The inventive mechanism provides fast profiling and effective trace selection. The inventive mechanism partitions the work between hardware and software. The hardware automatically detects which code is executed very frequently, e.g. which code is hot code. The hardware also maintains the branch history information. When the hardware determines that a section or block of code is hot code, the hardware sends a signal to the software. The software then forms the trace from the hot code, and uses the branch history information in making branch predictions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.