processor, algorithm A technique used in some processors
appropriate location.
When a branch instruction is executed, its address and that of
the next instruction executed (the chosen destination of the
information is used to predict which way the instruction will
branch the next time it is executed so that instruction
prefetch can continue. When the prediction is correct (and it
is over 90% of the time), executing a branch does not cause a
Some later
CPUs simply prefetch both paths instead of trying
to predict which way the branch will go.
(1998-03-14)