AMD AMD-K6-2/500AFX Data Sheet - Page 29

Cache, Instruction Prefetch, and Predecode Bits, Cache, MESI Modified, Exclusive, Shared - 3d processor

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21850J/0-February 2000 Preliminary Information AMD-K6®-2 Processor Data Sheet 2.3 Cache The AMD-K6-2 processor implements a two-level branch prediction scheme based on an 8192-entry branch history table. The branch history table stores prediction information that is used for predicting conditional branches. Because the branch history table does not store predicted target addresses, special address ALUs calculate target addresses on-the-fly during instruction decode. The branch target cache augments predicted branch performance by avoiding a one clock cache-fetch penalty. This specialized target cache does this by supplying the first 16 bytes of target instructions to the decoders when branches are predicted. The return address stack is a unique device specifically designed for optimizing CALL and RETURN pairs. In summary, the AMD-K6-2 processor uses dynamic branch logic to minimize delays due to the branch instructions that are common in x86 software. 3DNow!™ Technology. AMD has taken a lead role in improving the multimedia and 3D capabilities of the x86 processor family with the introduction of 3DNow! technology, which uses a packed, single-precision, floating-point data format and Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) operations based on the MMX technology model. Cache, Instruction Prefetch, and Predecode Bits The writeback level-one cache on the AMD-K6-2 processor is organized as a separate 32-Kbyte instruction cache and a 32-Kbyte data cache with two-way set associativity. The cache line size is 32 bytes and lines are prefetched from main memory using an efficient pipelined burst transaction. As the instruction cache is filled, each instruction byte is analyzed for instruction boundaries using predecoding logic. Predecoding annotates information (5 bits per byte) to each instruction byte that later enables the decoders to efficiently decode multiple instructions simultaneously. The processor cache design takes advantage of a sectored organization (see Figure 2 on page 10). Each sector consists of 64 bytes configured as two 32-byte cache lines. The two cache lines of a sector share a common tag but have separate pairs of MESI (Modified, Exclusive, Shared, Invalid) bits that track the state of each cache line. Chapter 2 Internal Architecture 9

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Chapter 2
Internal Architecture
9
21850J/0—February 2000
AMD-K6
®
-2 Processor Data Sheet
Preliminary Information
The AMD-K6-2 processor implements a two-level branch
prediction scheme based on an 8192-entry branch history table.
The branch history table stores prediction information that is
used for predicting conditional branches. Because the branch
history table does not store predicted target addresses, special
address ALUs calculate target addresses on-the-fly during
instruction decode. The branch target cache augments
predicted branch performance by avoiding a one clock
cache-fetch penalty. This specialized target cache does this by
supplying the first 16 bytes of target instructions to the
decoders when branches are predicted. The return address
stack is a unique device specifically designed for optimizing
CALL and RETURN pairs. In summary, the AMD-K6-2
processor uses dynamic branch logic to minimize delays due to
the branch instructions that are common in x86 software.
3DNow!™ Technology.
AMD has taken a lead role in improving the
multimedia and 3D capabilities of the x86 processor family with
the introduction of 3DNow! technology, which uses a packed,
single-precision, floating-point data format and Single
Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) operations based on the
MMX technology model.
2.3
Cache, Instruction Prefetch, and Predecode Bits
The writeback level-one cache on the AMD-K6-2 processor is
organized as a separate 32-Kbyte instruction cache and a
32-Kbyte data cache with two-way set associativity. The cache
line size is 32 bytes and lines are prefetched from main memory
using an efficient pipelined burst transaction. As the
instruction cache is filled, each instruction byte is analyzed for
instruction boundaries using predecoding logic. Predecoding
annotates information (5 bits per byte) to each instruction byte
that later enables the decoders to efficiently decode multiple
instructions simultaneously.
Cache
The processor cache design takes advantage of a sectored
organization (see Figure 2 on page 10). Each sector consists of
64 bytes configured as two 32-byte cache lines. The two cache
lines of a sector share a common tag but have separate pairs of
MESI (Modified, Exclusive, Shared, Invalid) bits that track the
state of each cache line.