公开(公告)号：EP0752645B1

公开(公告)日：2017-11-22

申请号：EP96110744.8

申请日：1996-07-03

申请人： Oracle America, Inc.

发明人： Emberson, David R.

IPC分类号： G06F9/38 ,  G06F12/08

CPC分类号： G06F12/0862 ,  G06F9/383 ,  G06F12/0848 ,  G06F2212/6028

摘要： Disclosed is an instruction-level method and system for prefetching data or instructions of variable size to specified cache sets. A prefetch instruction containing binary fields allows the compiler, loader or runtime software to control cache prefetching and reduce thrashing by providing the prefetch hardware with information as to the optimal cache set location and the optimal amount of data to be prefetched. Support of Harvard architectures with separate instruction and data caches is provided by separate software control of instruction and data caches. The cache set number is identified to indicate into which set the information is to be preloaded. The size field provides a variable prefetch size. An address field indicates the address where prefetching begins.