Managing prefetch requests based on stream information for previously recognized streams

A method comprising:

• storing copies of data previously retrieved from a memory system;
• executing instructions in a pipeline, wherein the pipeline includes at least one stage that executes instructions that initiate memory access requests to access data in the memory system using requests to the stored copies;
• and
• managing prefetch requests associated with one or more memory access requests, the managing including:
• storing stream information associated with a plurality of streams, wherein at least one of the streams was recognized based on an initial subset of memory access requests within a previously performed set of related memory access requests and is associated with stream information that includes stream matching information and stream length information,
• after the previously performed set of related memory access requests has ended, identifying a matching memory access request that matches with a corresponding matched stream in the plurality of streams based at least in part on stream matching information within stream information associated with the matched stream, and
• in response to identifying the matching memory access request, determining whether or not to perform a prefetch request for data at an address related to a data address in the matching memory access request based at least in part on stream length information within the stream information associated with the matched stream.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for storing copies of data previously retrieved from a memory system;
• means for executing instructions in a pipeline, wherein the pipeline includes at least one stage that executes instructions that initiate memory access requests to access data in the memory system using requests to the stored copies;
• and
• means for managing prefetch requests associated with one or more memory access requests, the managing including:
• storing stream information associated with a plurality of streams, wherein at least one of the streams was recognized based on an initial subset of memory access requests within a previously performed set of related memory access requests and is associated with stream information that includes stream matching information and stream length information,
• after the previously performed set of related memory access requests has ended, identifying a matching memory access request that matches with a corresponding matched stream in the plurality of streams based at least in part on stream matching information within stream information associated with the matched stream, and
• in response to identifying the matching memory access request, determining whether or not to perform a prefetch request for data at an address related to a data address in the matching memory access request based at least in part on stream length information within the stream information associated with the matched stream.