Stack access tracking
US9292292B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2013 |
| Grant date | Mar 22, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 25, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/3838
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A processor employs a prediction table at a front end of its instruction pipeline, whereby the prediction table stores address register and offset information for store instructions; and stack offset information for stack access instructions. The stack offset information for a corresponding instruction indicates the entry of the stack accessed by the instruction stack relative to a base entry. The processor uses pattern matching to identify predicted dependencies between load/store instructions and predicted dependencies between stack access instructions. A scheduler unit of the instruction pipeline uses the predicted dependencies to perform store-to-load forwarding or other operations that increase efficiency and reduce power consumption at the processing system.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.