Loop instruction processing using loop buffer in a data processing device

摘要

A data processing device comprising a central processing unit (CPU) for fetching instructions from a program memory, decoding the instructions and sending a signal (CCLK) to a coprocessor if a coprocessor type instruction is decoded; a coprocessor for decoding the coprocessor-type instructions upon receipt of the signal (CCLK); and a loop buffer for receiving from the program memory instructions within a loop and storing the instructions within the loop when the coprocessor decodes a loop operation from the coprocessor-type instructions, wherein the instructions within the loop are retrieve from the loop buffer for execution in a subsequent iteration of the loop, wherein a disable signal is sent to the program memory for inhibiting access of the program memory while the instructions within the loop are retrieved from the loop buffer.