In prefetching cache lines from a main memory to a cache memory, an array of
memory
locations to be prefetched is determined and a base address indicating a highest
address in the array is identified as well as a loop index used to point to the
first address in the array. A prefetch index, which is the loop index plus a latency/transfer
value, is used to prefetch memory locations as the array is processed. After a
memory location is prefetched and initialized, the loop index and the prefetch
index are incremented. The prefetch index is compared to a threshold value. If
the prefetch index is less than the threshold value, then the next memory location
in the array is prefetched and the prefetch index is again incremented and compared
to the threshold value. If the prefetch index is equal to or greater than the threshold
value, then the prefetch instruction is converted to a no operation instruction
to prevent memory locations outside of the array from being prefetched during the
processing of the array.
