Branch target buffer, a branch prediction circuit and method thereof

Abstract

A branch target buffer, a branch prediction circuit and a method thereof are provided. The example branch target buffer may include a memory cell array storing a branch address and a target address, a decoder connected to the memory cell array through a word line, and providing a word line voltage to a selected word line in response to a fetch address, a sense amp connected to the memory cell array through a bit line and sensing and amplifying data of a selected memory cell and sense amp enable circuitry connected to the word line, the sense amp enable circuitry storing branch prediction information and controlling an operation of the sense amp based on the branch prediction information. The example method may be directed to a method of operating a branch target buffer, including determining whether an instruction to be executed by a processor is a branch instruction, determining, if the instruction is determined to be a branch instruction, whether the branch instruction is predicted to be taken and selectively buffering instructions, from one or more memory cells, associated with the branch instruction based on whether the branch instruction is predicted to be taken.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.