BRANCH PREDICTION WITH POWER USAGE PREDICTION AND CONTROL

摘要

A method maintains power usage prediction information for one or more functional units in branch prediction logic for a processing unit such that the power consumption of a functional unit may be selectively reduced in association with the execution of branch instructions when it is predicted that the functional unit will be idle subsequent to the execution of such branch instructions.

主权项

1. A method of controlling power consumption in a processing unit of the type including a plurality of functional units, the method comprising:
maintaining, in branch prediction logic coupled to the processing unit, historical information associated with a plurality of branch instructions, wherein the historical information for a first branch instruction among the plurality of branch instructions further includes power usage prediction information associated with a first functional unit among the plurality of functional units; and selectively reducing power consumption of the first functional unit in association with execution of the first branch instruction based upon the power usage prediction information maintained by the branch prediction logic.