Controlling accesses to a branch prediction unit for sequences of fetch groups

Abstract

An electronic device is described that handles control transfer instructions (CTIs) when executing instructions in program code. The electronic device has a processor that includes a branch prediction functional block and a sequential fetch logic functional block. The sequential fetch logic functional block determines, based on a record associated with a CTI, that a specified number of fetch groups of instructions that were previously determined to include no CTIs are to be fetched for execution in sequence following the CTI. When each of the specified number of fetch groups is fetched and prepared for execution, the sequential fetch logic prevents corresponding accesses of the branch prediction functional block for acquiring branch prediction information for instructions in that fetch group.