BRANCH PREDICTION INSTRUCTIONS HAVING MASK VALUES INVOLVING UNLOADING AND LOADING BRANCH HISTORY DATA

A method for branch prediction, the method comprising, receiving a load instruction including a first data location in a first memory area, retrieving data including a branch address and a target address from the first data location, and saving the data in a branch prediction memory, or receiving an unload instruction including the first data location in the first memory area, retrieving data including a branch address and a target address from the branch prediction memory, and saving the data in the first data location.