Patent US 5,345,571

A system for controlling a branch history table in a data processing apparatus which has a memory for storing a branch instruction address and a branch destination address corresponding to the branch instruction in a one-to-one correspondence as the branch history table and which employs a virtual storage scheme includes a first register, a second register, a comparator, and a controller. The first register stores the branch instruction address including a virtual space number. The second register stores the branch destination address including the branch virtual space number. The comparator compares the virtual space numbers stored in the first and second registers. The controller enables storage of the branch history table in the memory when a coincidence is established as a result of comparison.