发明名称 |
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ASYNCHRONOUS DYNAMIC MILLICODE ENTRY PREDICTION |
摘要 |
A system and method for asynchronous dynamic millicode entry prediction in a processor are provided. The system includes a branch target buffer (BTB) to hold branch information. The branch information includes: a branch type indicating that the branch represents a millicode entry (mcentry) instruction targeting a millicode subroutine, and an instruction length code (ILC) associated with the mcentry instruction. The system also includes search logic to perform a method. The method includes locating a branch address in the BTB for the mcentry instruction targeting the millicode subroutine, and determining a return address to return from the millicode subroutine as a function of the an instruction address of the mcentry instruction and the ILC. The system further includes instruction fetch controls to fetch instructions of the millicode subroutine asynchronous to the search logic. The search logic may also operate asynchronous with respect to an instruction decode unit.
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申请公布号 |
US2009217002(A1) |
申请公布日期 |
2009.08.27 |
申请号 |
US20080035109 |
申请日期 |
2008.02.21 |
申请人 |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION |
发明人 |
BONANNO JAMES J.;PRASKY BRIAN R.;RELL, JR. JOHN G.;SAPORITO ANTHONY;SHUM CHUNG-LUNG KEVIN |
分类号 |
G06F9/312 |
主分类号 |
G06F9/312 |
代理机构 |
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代理人 |
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主权项 |
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地址 |
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