The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 04, 2008
Filed:
Apr. 20, 2005
Matthew Paul Elwood, Austin, TX (US);
Matthew Paul Elwood, Austin, TX (US);
ARM Limited, Cambridge, GB;
Abstract
A branch prediction mechanism includes a history value register storing a history value which is used to address into a history buffer from which a plurality of prediction values are read and stored into a prediction value store. The one or more prediction values to be used with a potential branch instruction are selected from the prediction values store using a multiplexer switched by a branch predicting portion of a fetch address. The history buffer is only read when the history value changes whereas the prediction values store is read each time a potential branch instruction is identified requiting a prediction value to be associated with it. The reduced duty cycle of the history buffer saves power.