초록 ▼

A voter provided in combination with a plurality of prefetch predictors provides improved prefetch performance. In one embodiment, the voter determines which of the prefetch predictors is making more accurate predictions, and uses predictions of the more effective prefetch predictor to prefetch data

A voter provided in combination with a plurality of prefetch predictors provides improved prefetch performance. In one embodiment, the voter determines which of the prefetch predictors is making more accurate predictions, and uses predictions of the more effective prefetch predictor to prefetch data into a buffer for use in satisfying cache misses. A voting prefetch engine advantageously improves cache performance, and therefore processor performance, by reducing cache misses more than cache misses would be reduced by operation an individual prefetch predictor. Stride predictor-type and stream predictor-type prefetch predictors may be provided in combination with a prefetch buffer and voter to provide improved data cache performance in a high-performance processor.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus comprising:a prefetch buffer for a cache;first and second prefetch predictors; anda voter coupled to select a prefetch address from one of the prefetch predictors based on prediction efficacies thereof and to prefetch data corresponding to the selected prefet

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An apparatus comprising:a prefetch buffer for a cache;first and second prefetch predictors; anda voter coupled to select a prefetch address from one of the prefetch predictors based on prediction efficacies thereof and to prefetch data corresponding to the selected prefetch address into the prefetch buffer.