Patent · US Expired

Cache coherency protocol for multi processor computer system

US5297269A · kind A · utility

201Cited by
20References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 24, 1993
Grant dateMar 22, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 24, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0828
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A cache coherency protocol for a multi-processor system which provides for read/write, read-only and transitional data states and for an indication of these states to be stored in a memory directory in main memory. The transitional data state occurs when a processor requests from main memory a data block in another processor's cache and the request is pending completion. All subsequent read requests for the data block during the pendency of the first request are inhibited until completion of the first request. Also provided in the memory directory for each data block is a field for identifying the processor which owns the data block in question. Data block ownership information is used to determine where requested owned data is located.

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