Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Controlling prediction functional blocks used by a branch predictor in a processor
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Application No.: US16895825Application Date: 2020-06-08
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Publication No.: US11442727B2Publication Date: 2022-09-13
- Inventor: Varun Agrawal , John Kalamatianos
- Applicant: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Current Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Santa Clara
- Agency: Park, Vaughan, Fleming & Dowler LLP
- Main IPC: G06F9/44
- IPC: G06F9/44 ; G06F9/30 ; G06F9/38

Abstract:
An electronic device includes a processor, a branch predictor in the processor, and a predictor controller in the processor. The branch predictor includes multiple prediction functional blocks, each prediction functional block configured for generating predictions for control transfer instructions (CTIs) in program code based on respective prediction information, the branch predictor configured to select, from among predictions generated by the prediction functional blocks for each CTI, a selected prediction to be used for that CTI. The predictor controller keeps a record of prediction functional blocks from which the branch predictor previously selected predictions for CTIs. The predictor controller uses information from the record for controlling which prediction functional blocks are used by the branch predictor for generating predictions for CTIs.
Public/Granted literature
- US20210382718A1 Controlling Prediction Functional Blocks Used by a Branch Predictor in a Processor Public/Granted day:2021-12-09
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