Branch predictor directed prefetch
US7702888B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 28, 2007 |
| Grant date | Apr 20, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2212/6022
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for executing branch predictor directed prefetch operations. During operation, a branch prediction unit may provide an address of a first instruction to the fetch unit. The fetch unit may send a fetch request for the first instruction to the instruction cache to perform a fetch operation. In response to detecting a cache miss corresponding to the first instruction, the fetch unit may execute one or more prefetch operation while the cache miss corresponding to the first instruction is being serviced. The branch prediction unit may provide an address of a predicted next instruction in the instruction stream to the fetch unit. The fetch unit may send a prefetch request for the predicted next instruction to the instruction cache to execute the prefetch operation. The fetch unit may store prefetched instruction data obtained from a next level of memory in the instruction cache or in a prefetch buffer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.