Data prefetch unit utilizing duplicate cache tags
US8316188B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 2011 |
| Grant date | Nov 20, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2212/6028
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In one embodiment, a processor comprises a prefetch unit coupled to a data cache. The prefetch unit is configured to concurrently maintain a plurality of separate, active prefetch streams. Each prefetch stream is either software initiated via execution by the processor of a dedicated prefetch instruction or hardware initiated via detection of a data cache miss by one or more load/store memory operations. The prefetch unit is further configured to generate prefetch requests responsive to the plurality of prefetch streams to prefetch data in to the data cache. In an embodiment, the prefetch unit is configured to check for a cache hit for a prefetch request by checking a duplicate cache tags.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.