Patent · US Expired

System and method for replacing a data entry in a cache memory

US5497477A · kind A · utility

12Cited by
3References
13Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 7, 1994
Grant dateMar 5, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 7, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/1027
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus called a cache insertion selector for selecting a slot of a memory cache in which to insert data. The access history of a slot is monitored with a single boolean variable called "used recently". A slot is marked as "used recently" when it is accessed. When a new entry is to be inserted, the cache insertion selector of the present invention attempts to select a slot which is not marked as "used recently". If all slots are marked as used recently, the cache insertion selector marks all slots as not used recently and selects one slot. A slot can be specified for unconditional selection. Also, a slot can be precluded from being selected.

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