Patent ID: 6757815
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of using a branch target buffer having a plurality of banks, comprising:receiving an Instruction Pointer (IP) signal, the instruction pointer signal including an IP tag and an IP set; reading a plurality of entries corresponding to the IP set, each of the entries an entry tag, an entry bank number, and entry data; and simultaneously comparing (i) each entry tag and entry bank number with (ii) the IP tag and an identifier of each of the plurality of banks, wherein each entry is a way and the number of banks is independent from the number of ways, wherein the comparing includes: concatenating (i) each entry tag and entry bank number; concatenating (ii) the IP tag and a number representing each of the plurality of banks; and comparing the concatenated entry tag and entry bank number with the concatenated IP tag and number representing each of the plurality of banks.