Dynamically updating hardware prefetch trait to exclusive or shared at program detection

A method for performing hardware data prefetching by a processor, the method comprising:

• detecting that a predetermined program is running on the processor;
• looking up a prefetch trait associated with the predetermined program running on the processor;
• wherein the prefetch trait is either exclusive or shared;
• and
• performing hardware prefetches for the predetermined program using the prefetch trait.

A processor, comprising:

• a processing core configured to:
• detect that a predetermined program is running on the processor;
• and
• load each of one or more range registers of the processor with a respective address range in response to said detecting that the predetermined program is running on the processor, wherein each of the one or more address ranges has an associated prefetch trait, wherein the prefetch trait is either exclusive or shared;
• and
• a hardware data prefetcher configured to perform hardware prefetches for the predetermined program using the prefetch traits associated with the address ranges loaded into the range registers.

A method for performing hardware data prefetching by a processor, the method comprising:

• detecting that a predetermined program is running on the processor;
• loading each of one or more range registers of the processor with a respective address range in response to said detecting that the predetermined program is running on the processor;
• wherein each of the one or more address ranges has an associated prefetch trait;
• wherein the prefetch trait is either exclusive or shared;
• and
• performing hardware prefetches for the predetermined program using the prefetch traits associated with the address ranges loaded into the range registers.