System, apparatus and method for issuing predictions from an inventory to access a memory

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method are disclosed for managing predictive accesses to memory. In one embodiment, an exemplary apparatus is configured as a prediction inventory that stores predictions in a number of queues. Each queue is configured to maintain predictions until a subset of the predictions is either issued to access a memory or filtered out as redundant. In another embodiment, an exemplary prefetcher predicts accesses to a memory. The prefetcher comprises a speculator for generating a number of predictions and a prediction inventory, which includes queues each configured to maintain a group of items. The group of items typically includes a triggering address that corresponds to the group. Each item of the group is of one type of prediction. Also, the prefetcher includes an inventory filter configured to compare the number of predictions against one of the queues having the either the same or different prediction type as the number of predictions.