Data prefetching of a load target buffer for post-branch instructions based on past prediction accuracy's of branch predictions

摘要

A method of operating a microprocessor (12). The method first receives (64) a plurality of instructions arranged in a sequence from a first instruction through a last instruction. The method second identifies (66) a branch instruction as one of the plurality of instructions, wherein the branch instruction has a target instruction address. The method third determines two factors for the branch instruction, the first being a prediction value (72) indicating whether or not program flow should pass to the target instruction address, and the second being an accuracy measure (74, 76) indicating accuracy of past ones of the prediction value. The method fourth identifies a data fetching instruction following the branch instruction in the plurality of instructions. Lastly, the method issues a prefetch request (70, 78) for the data fetching instruction in response to the accuracy measure.