LOAD/STORE UNIT FOR A PROCESSOR, AND APPLICATIONS THEREOF

摘要

A load/store unit for a processor, and applications thereof. In an embodiment, the load/store unit includes a load/store queue configured to store information and data associated with a particular class of instructions. Data stored in the load/store queue can be bypassed to dependent instructions. When an instruction belonging to the particular class of instructions graduates and the instruction is associated with a cache miss, control logic causes a pointer to be stored in a load/store graduation buffer that points to an entry in the load/store queue associated with the instruction. The load/store graduation buffer ensures that graduated instructions access a shared resource of the load/store unit in program order.