Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Content-addressable memory filtering based on microarchitectural state
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Application No.: US16277764Application Date: 2019-02-15
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Publication No.: US11347514B2Publication Date: 2022-05-31
- Inventor: Deepak Limaye , Brian R. Mestan , Gideon N. Levinsky
- Applicant: Apple Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Cupertino
- Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Cupertino
- Agency: Kowert, Hood, Munyon, Rankin & Goetzel, P.C.
- Main IPC: G06F12/00
- IPC: G06F12/00 ; G06F9/38 ; G06F12/0815 ; G06F12/0891 ; G06F12/0864

Abstract:
Techniques are disclosed relating to filtering access to a content-addressable memory (CAM). In some embodiments, a processor monitors for certain microarchitectural states and filters access to the CAM in states where there cannot be a match in the CAM or where matching entries will not be used even if there is a match. In some embodiments, toggle control circuitry prevents toggling of input lines when filtering CAM access, which may reduce dynamic power consumption. In some example embodiments, the CAM is used to access a load queue to validate that out-of-order execution for a set of instructions matches in-order execution, and situations where ordering should be checked are relatively rare.
Public/Granted literature
- US20200264888A1 Content-Addressable Memory Filtering based on Microarchitectural State Public/Granted day:2020-08-20
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