Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys

Details Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys

1996-09-20

1998-06-02

Toplu, Lucien U.

395445, G06F 1300

Patent

active

057615063

ABSTRACT:
A method for handling cache misses in a computer system. A prefetch unit fetches an instruction for execution by one of a plurality of coprocessors. When the preferred embodiment of the present invention experiences a cache miss in a prefetch unit, the process for which an instruction is being fetched is passed off to a memory processor which executes a read of the missing cache line in memory. While the process is executing in memory processor, or queued by the scheduler for execution of the same instruction, the prefetch unit continues to dispatch other processes from the its queue to the other processors. Thus, the computer system, including the processors, do not stall. Processors continue to execute processes. The prefetch unit continues to dispatch processes. When the memory read is completed, the process in which the cache miss occurred is rescheduled by the scheduler. The prefetch again attempts to fetch and decode the instruction and arguments. If another cache miss occurs, the process is again dispatched to the memory processor. Upon reading the cache line, the memory processor again sends the process to the scheduler's queue.

REFERENCES:
patent: 5559952 (1996-09-01), Fujimoto
patent: 5603047 (1997-02-01), Caulk, Jr.
Chang et al, Evaluation of an Object-Caching Coprocessor Design for Object Oriented Systems--Computer Design--ICCP '93 1993 Int. Conf pp. 132-139.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for handling cache misses in a computer sys will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1472701