Realizing the V80 and its system support functions

An overview is given of the architecture of an overall design considerations for the 11-unit, 32-b V80 microprocessor, which includes two 1-kB cache memories and a branch prediction mechanism that is a new feature for microprocessors. The V80's pipeline processing and system support functions for multiprocessor and high-reliability systems are discussed. Using V80 support functions, multiprocessor and high-reliability systems were realized without any performance drop. Cache memories and a branch prediction mechanism were used to improve pipeline processing. Various hardware facilities replaced the usual microprogram to ensure high performance.<
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