Load–store unit
{{Short description|Part of a computer system}}
{{Update|date=March 2017 | inaccurate=yes}}
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{{cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271706612|title=IBM POWER8 processor core microarchitecture (PDF Download Available)|website=ResearchGate}}{{cite web|url=http://users.utcluj.ro/~baruch/book_ssce/SSCE-SPARC.pdf |title=Structure of Computer Systems |page=320 |website=Users.utcluj.ro |access-date=2017-06-23}}{{cite web|url=http://infocenter.arm.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.arm.doc.ddi0360f/CACGAFFH.html|title=ARM Information Center|website=infocenter.arm.com}} and loading data from memory or storing it back to memory from registers.Memory Systems: Cache, DRAM, Disk by Bruce Jacob, Spencer Ng, David Wang 2007 {{ISBN|0123797519}} page 298
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.
Load–store units may also be used in vector processing, and in such cases the term "load–store vector" may be used.Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach by John L. Hennessy, David A. Patterson 2011 {{ISBN|012383872X}} pages 293-295
Some load–store units are also capable of executing simple fixed-point and/or integer operations.