BRANCH PREDICTION WITH RETURN SELECTION BITS TO CATEGORIZE TYPE OF BRANCH PREDICTION

摘要

A branch prediction unit stores as set of branch selectors corresponding to each of a group of contiguous instruction bytes stored in an instruction cache. Each branch selector identifies a branch prediction to be selected if a fetch address corresponding to that branch selector is presented. The branch prediction unit additionally stores a set of return selectors corresponding to one or more branch predictions. The return selectors identify the type of branch selection. For example, the branch predictions may include a sequential branch prediction and a branch instruction branch prediction. The return selectors may identify whether the branch instruction branch prediction is associated with the return instruction or a non-return branch instruction.