US Patent 7346737 Cache system having branch target address cache

A cache system has a branch target address cache, including a storage unit for storing branch target address cache (BTAC) access bits each corresponding to cache lines of an instruction cache. The BTAC access bits represent a presence of a branch instruction on the next cache line of a cache line corresponding to the instruction cache. The BTAC is selectively accessed in accordance with values of the BTAC access bits corresponding to I'th (I is a positive integer) cache lines presently accessed in the instruction cache.