Meyertons Hood Kivlin Kowert & Goetzel, P.C.
Data address prediction structure and a method for operating the same
A data address prediction structure for a superscalar microprocessor is provided. The data address prediction structure predicts a data address that a group of instructions is going to access while that group of instructions is being fetched from the instruction cache. The data bytes associated with the predicted address are placed in a relatively small, fast buffer. The decode stages of instruction processing pipelines in the microprocessor access the buffer with addresses generated from the instructions, and if the associated data bytes are found in the buffer they are conveyed to the reservation station associated with the requesting decode stage. Therefore, the implicit memory read associated with an instruction is performed prior to the instruction arriving in a functional unit. The functional unit is occupied by the instruction for a fewer number of clock cycles, since it need not perform the implicit memory operation. Instead, the functional unit performs the explicit operation indicated by the instruction.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
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Thang M.
Tran