Dynamic pipeline throttling using confidence-based weighting of in-flight branch instructions

An apparatus comprising:

• confidence fields configured to store confidence levels associated with in-flight branch instructions in an instruction pipeline;
• and
• a throttler comprising:
• confidence level blocks configured to determine numbers of in-flight branch instructions associated with each of the confidence levels;
• a weighted sum block configured to determine a weighted sum of the numbers weighted with weights corresponding to the confidence levels;
• and
• a comparator configured to compare the weighted sum with a threshold and provide a throttling signal to indicate that instructions are to be throttled in a pipeline stage of the instruction pipeline, based on the comparison.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for storing confidence levels associated with in-flight branch instructions in an instruction pipeline of a processor;
• means for determining numbers of in-flight branch instructions associated with each of the confidence levels;
• means for determining a weighted sum of the numbers weighted with weights corresponding to the confidence levels;
• means for comparing the weighted sum with a threshold;
• and
• means for providing a throttling signal to indicate that instructions are to be throttled in a pipeline stage of the instruction pipeline based on the comparison.