Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory – Storage accessing and control – Control technique
Reexamination Certificate
2005-09-13
2005-09-13
Vital, Pierre M. (Department: 2188)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: memory
Storage accessing and control
Control technique
C711S118000, C711S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06944724
ABSTRACT:
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that decouples a tag access from a corresponding data access within a cache memory. The system operates by receiving a memory request at the cache memory, wherein the memory request includes an address identifying a memory location. Next, the system performs the tag access by looking up at least one tag from a tag array within the cache memory and comparing the at least one tag with a tag portion of the address to determine if a cache line containing the address is located in the cache memory. If the cache line containing the address is located in the cache memory but a data array containing the cache line is busy, the system performs the corresponding data access at a later time when the data array becomes free. Furthermore, if the memory request is for a load operation, the corresponding data access takes place without waiting for preceding load operations to complete.
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Chaudhry Shailender
Tremblay Marc
Park Vaughan & Fleming LLP
Sun Microsystems Inc.
Vital Pierre M.
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