Wolf, Greenfield & Sacks, P.C.
Method and apparatus for branch prediction based on branch targets utilizing tag and data arrays
Methods and apparatus are provided for branch prediction in a digital processor. A method includes providing a branch target buffer having a tag array and a data array, wherein each entry in the tag array provides an index to a corresponding entry in the data array, storing in a selected entry in the tag array information representative of a branch target of a current branch instruction, storing in a corresponding entry in the data array information representative of a branch target of a next branch instruction, and providing the information representative of the branch target of the next branch instruction in response to a match to an entry in the tag array. The information representative of the branch target of the next branch instruction may include a taken branch target address of the next branch instruction and an offset value. The offset value may represent an address of a next sequential instruction following the next branch instruction.
Analog Devices, Inc.
G G A G
G06F G06F A61P G06F
inventional inventional inventional inventional
Deepa Ravi Pratap Thang M. Srikanth
Duraiswamy Singh Tran Kannan