Dynamically adjusting a pre-fetch distance to enable just-in-time prefetching within a processing system
US7487297B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 6, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 19, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F12/0862
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for performing just-in-time data prefetching within a data processing system comprising a processor, a cache or prefetch buffer, and at least one memory storage device. The apparatus comprises a prefetch engine having means for issuing a data prefetch request for prefetching a data cache line from the memory storage device for utilization by the processor. The apparatus further comprises logic/utility for dynamically adjusting a prefetch distance between issuance by the prefetch engine of the data prefetch request and issuance by the processor of a demand (load request) targeting the data/cache line being returned by the data prefetch request, so that a next data prefetch request for a subsequent cache line completes the return of the data/cache line at effectively the same time that a demand for that subsequent data/cache line is issued by the processor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.