US 12,373,217 B2
Indirect branch predictor storing encrypted branch information fields
Jeffry E. Gonion, Campbell, CA (US); Ian D. Kountanis, Santa Clara, CA (US); Conrado Blasco, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Steven Andrew Myers, San Jose, CA (US); and Yannick L. Sierra, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed by Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/932,883.
Application 17/932,883 is a continuation of application No. 16/220,488, filed on Dec. 14, 2018, granted, now 11,449,343.
Prior Publication US 2023/0010948 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G06F 9/38 (2018.01); G06F 9/30 (2018.01); G06F 9/455 (2018.01); G06F 21/60 (2013.01)
CPC G06F 9/3844 (2013.01) [G06F 9/30029 (2013.01); G06F 9/3861 (2013.01); G06F 9/45533 (2013.01); G06F 21/60 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a table comprising circuitry, wherein the table comprises a plurality of table entries configured to store branch prediction information; and
branch prediction circuitry configured to:
generate an encrypted value, based at least in part on a program counter corresponding to a branch instruction;
combine, using encryption circuitry, the encrypted value with a branch target address of the branch instruction to generate an encrypted branch target address; and
store the encrypted branch target address in an entry of the table.