DATA PREFETCHER MECHANISM WITH INTELLIGENT DISABLING AND ENABLING OF A PREFETCHING FUNCTION

摘要

A data prefetcher includes a controller to control operation of the data prefetcher. The controller receives data associated with cache misses and data associated with events that do not rely on a prefetching function of the data prefetcher. The data prefetcher also includes a counter to maintain a count associated with the data prefetcher. The count is adjusted in a first direction in response to detection of a cache miss, and in a second direction in response to detection of an event that does not rely on the prefetching function. The controller disables the prefetching function when the count reaches a threshold value.