Prefetch buffer which stores a pointer indicating an initial predecode position

摘要

A prefetch/predecode unit includes one or more prefetch buffers which are configured to store prefetched sets of instruction bytes and corresponding predecode data. Additionally, each prefetch buffer is configured to store a predecode byte pointer. The predecode byte pointer indicates the byte within the corresponding prefetched set of instruction bytes at which predecoding is to be initiated. Predecoding may be resumed within a given prefetch buffer (at the byte indicated by the predecode byte pointer) if predecoding thereof is interrupted to predecode a different set of instruction bytes (e.g. a set of instruction bytes fetched from the instruction cache).