Facilitating fast scanning for control transfer instructions in an instruction fetch unit
US7941638B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 15, 2006 |
| Grant date | May 10, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 21, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3853
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that performs a fast-scanning operation to generate fetch bundles within an instruction fetch unit (IFU) of a processor. During operation, the system obtains a cache line containing instructions at the IFU. Next, the system performs a complete-scanning operation on the cache line to identify control transfer instructions (CTIs) in the cache line. At the same time, the system performs a fast-scanning operation to identify CTIs in a group of initial instructions in the cache line, wherein the initial instructions are executed before other instructions in the cache line. Next, the system obtains results from the fast-scanning operation before results of the complete-scanning operation are available. The system then uses results from the fast-scanning operation to form an initial fetch bundle containing initial instructions, and sends the initial fetch bundle to the instruction-issue unit.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.