Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate

Details Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate

1996-05-28

1998-07-14

Swann, Tod R.

Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory

Storage accessing and control

Hierarchical memories

711156, G06F 1300

Patent

active

057819238

ABSTRACT:
A system for indicating byte-order format information of multi-byte data contained in a cache memory. A plurality of cache lines resident in the cache memory each include cache line data copied from a main memory block, and a corresponding cache line tag. Each cache line tag includes a main memory address mapping field for providing main memory address mapping information of the cache line data of its associated cache line and a cache line byte-order format field for indicating a byte-order format of the cache line data of its associated cache line. The invention also includes a cache management system and method for managing cache move-in operations in a computer system compatible with multiple byte-order formats having a main memory organized in a default byte-order format and a cache memory. The system includes a current byte-order format indicating means for indicating the current byte-order format of a currently running process, a central processing unit, a format conversion unit responsive to a format conversion signal generated by the central processing unit for converting multi-byte data from the default byte-order format to the current byte-order format, a plurality of cache lines contained in the cache memory, each respective cache line comprising cache line data copied from the main memory at a respective main memory address, and a plurality of corresponding cache line tags, each associated with a respective cache line, and each comprising a main memory address mapping field for providing main memory address mapping information of the cache line data of its associated cache line and a cache line byte-order format field for indicating a byte-order format of the cache line data of its associated cache line.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4959779 (1990-09-01), Weber et al.
patent: 4999808 (1991-03-01), Blahut et al.
patent: 5025366 (1991-06-01), Baror
patent: 5056091 (1991-10-01), Hunt
patent: 5155832 (1992-10-01), Hunt
patent: 5398328 (1995-03-01), Weber et al.
patent: 5408664 (1995-04-01), Zarrin et al.
patent: 5586279 (1996-12-01), Pardo et al.
patent: 5687337 (1997-11-01), Carnevale et al.
Intel, "Cache Tutorial", Intel Corporation, sections 1.3 and 2.2.1, 1991.
Microsoft, "Computer Dictionary: The Comprehensive Standard for Business, School, Library, and Home", Microsoft Press, 2nd edition, pp. 41, 60 and 241, 1994.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adding a field to the cache tag in a computer system to indicate will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1894366