Method and apparatus for branch prediction using branch prediction table with improved branch prediction effectiveness

摘要

The branch prediction using a branch prediction table formed by an associative memory which is applicable to a super scalar processor without causing confusion in the branch prediction. The branch prediction uses a branch prediction table for registering entries, each entry including a branching address, a branch target address, and an instruction position indicating a position of the predicted branch instruction in group of instructions to be executed concurrently, or an entry address indicating a position of each entry in the associative memory of the table. A correctness of the predicted branch instruction is checked by using actual branch target address and/or actual instruction position of actual branch instruction encountered in the actual execution of presently fetched instructions. When the predicted branch instruction is incorrect, instructions fetched at a next processing timing are invalidated and the entry in the table is rewritten.