Processor Target Instructions for Micro-operations Cache Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current processor architectures face inefficiencies in caching instructions due to duplication of instructions across cache lines, leading to increased conflict and capacity misses, which affects performance and power consumption.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of Target Instructions, which are inserted during compilation to mark the beginning of an execution sequence, allowing the processor to index into a micro-operations cache efficiently and reduce duplication by updating branch instructions to point to these target instructions, thereby optimizing cache utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If instructions are cached in the micro-operations cache without target instructions, then the cache can store instructions, but duplication of instructions across cache lines occurs leading to conflict and capacity misses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the instruction stream by inserting target instructions that mark the beginning of execution sequences. This segmentation allows the micro-operations cache to organize instructions into distinct cache lines starting at these target instructions, preventing duplication and improving cache hit rate while maintaining processor performance.
2Ease of operation
If branch instructions point to the beginning of execution sequences, then the program can execute correctly, but instructions are duplicated across multiple cache lines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by inserting target instructions before the beginning of execution sequences during compilation. This preliminary marking allows the processor to directly access and cache instructions from the correct starting point, eliminating duplication while preserving correct program execution.
3Device complexity
If the micro-operations cache stores instructions without indexing optimization, then simple cache management is maintained, but conflict and capacity misses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The target instruction acts as an intermediary marker between the branch instruction and the execution sequence. It provides a clear indexing point for the micro-operations cache, allowing efficient direct access to cache lines without increasing cache management complexity, thereby improving cache efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
Various example embodiments for supporting processor capabilities are presented herein. Various example embodiments for supporting processor capabilities may be configured to provide a processor configured to support execution of a program that is based on an instruction set architecture of the processor, where the program includes a target instruction configured to mark a beginning of an execution sequence of the program, wherein the target instruction is a target of a branch instruction of the program.