Apparatus and method to preserve data in a set associative memory device
US5584014A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 20, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 10, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 20, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F12/126
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus and method to dynamically partition a set-associative memory device is described. The apparatus includes a set identification device to specify a group of set-associative data blocks in a cache memory or translation-lookaside buffer. A block replacement logic circuit is used to identify replaceable blocks within the set-associative data blocks that can store new information. The block replacement logic circuit is also used to identify un-replaceable blocks within the set-associative data blocks that cannot store new information. The block replacement logic circuit only writes new information to the replaceable blocks of the set-associative data blocks. The block replacement logic circuit can be implemented using a block replacement mask to identify within the set-associative data blocks the replaceable blocks and the un-replaceable blocks.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.