Prefetch kill and revival in an instruction cache

A system comprising:

• a plurality of peripherals;
• and
• a processor coupled to the plurality of peripherals, the processor comprising:
• a processing unit configured to:
• transmit a request indicating first virtual address;
• and
• transmit a count after transmitting the request indicating the first virtual address;
• a memory;
• a controller coupled to the processing unit and to the memory, the controller configured to:
• receive the request from the processing unit;
• determine a second virtual address based on the first virtual address;
• determine a first physical address based on the first virtual address;
• determine a second physical address based on the second virtual address;
• retrieve a first instruction from the memory based on the first physical address;
• initiate retrieving a second instruction from the memory based on the second physical address;
• after initiating retrieving the second instruction, receive the count from the processing unit;
• and
• determine whether to kill retrieving the second instruction based on the count.

A method comprising:

• receiving a request indicating a first virtual address;
• determining a second virtual address based on the first virtual address;
• determining a first physical address based on the first virtual address;
• determining a second physical address based on the second virtual address;
• retrieving a first instruction from memory based on the first physical address;
• initiating retrieving a second instruction from the memory based on the second physical address;
• after initiating retrieving the second instruction, receive a count;
• and
• determine whether to kill retrieving the second instruction based on the count.