Decoupled fetch-execute engine with static branch prediction support

摘要

There is provided a decoupled fetch-execute engine with static branch prediction support. A method for prefetching targets of branch instructions in a computer processing system having instruction fetch decoupled from an execution pipeline includes the step of generating a prepare-to-branch (PBR) operation. The PBR operation includes address bits corresponding to a branch paired thereto and address bits corresponding to an expected target of the branch. The execution of the PBR operation is scheduled prior to execution of the paired branch to enforce a desired latency therebetween. Upon execution of the PBR operation, it is determined whether the paired branch is available using the address bits of the PBR operation corresponding to the paired branch. When the paired branch is available, the expected branch target is fetched using the address bits of the PBR operation corresponding to the expected branch target.