Load–store unit explained

In computer engineering, a load–store unit (LSU) is a specialized execution unit responsible for executing all load and store instructions, generating virtual addresses of load and store operations^{[1] [2] [3]} and loading data from memory or storing it back to memory from registers.^[4]

The load–store unit usually includes a queue which acts as a waiting area for memory instructions, and the unit itself operates independently of other processor units.^[4]

Load–store units may also be used in vector processing, and in such cases the term "load–store vector" may be used.^[5]

Some load–store units are also capable of executing simple fixed-point and/or integer operations.

See also

• Address-generation unit
• Arithmetic–logic unit
• Floating-point unit
• Load–store architecture

Notes and References

1. Web site: IBM POWER8 processor core microarchitecture (PDF Download Available). ResearchGate.
2. Web site: Structure of Computer Systems . 320 . Users.utcluj.ro . 2017-06-23.
3. Web site: ARM Information Center. infocenter.arm.com.
4. Memory Systems: Cache, DRAM, Disk by Bruce Jacob, Spencer Ng, David Wang 2007 page 298
5. Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach by John L. Hennessy, David A. Patterson 2011 pages 293-295