Patent · US Expired

Cache memory architecture for microcomputer speed-up board

US4794523A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
11References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 30, 1985
Grant dateDec 27, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0802
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enhancing the speed of operation of a computer consists of providing a cache memory which is faster than the computer's main memory, disabling the computer's main microprocessor, and replacing it with a microprocessor with a faster clock cycle time. A portion of the program stored in the main memory is stored in the cache memory. The addresses of the portion of the main memory stored in the cache memory are noted in a tag RAM. Upon each addressing sequence during the execution of a program, the tag RAM is examined to determine if the addressed located is stored in the cache memory. If the stored location is identified in the tag RAM, it is retrieved from the cache memory at high-speed. Otherwise, the data in the address location is retrieved from main memory at a slower speed and written into the cache memory so that subsequent accesses may be made at high-speed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.