GATE ARRAY INSTRUCTION PREFETCH UNIT

摘要

Symbolic processing method and system. A microprogrammable processor carryies out compiled functions in accordance with a predetermined series of macroinstructions and a main memory stores macroinstructions therein and communicates with the processor over a bus. A unit is disposed in the processor for prefetching a plurality of successive macroinstructions from the main memory at the initiation of a new compiled function including a plurality of instruction buffer registers (111, 112, 113) for storing the macroinstructions and which refills the buffer registers with successive macroinstructions as the buffer registers become empty.