Prefetch kill and revival in an instruction cache

Abstract

A system comprises a processor including a CPU core, first and second memory caches, and a memory controller subsystem. The memory controller subsystem speculatively determines a hit or miss condition of a virtual address in the first memory cache and speculatively translates the virtual address to a physical address. Associated with the hit or miss condition and the physical address, the memory controller subsystem configures a status to a valid state. Responsive to receipt of a first indication from the CPU core that no program instructions associated with the virtual address are needed, the memory controller subsystem reconfigures the status to an invalid state and, responsive to receipt of a second indication from the CPU core that a program instruction associated with the virtual address is needed, the memory controller subsystem reconfigures the status back to a valid state.