Method and apparatus for transferring information between a processor and a memory system
US5701503A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 21, 1994 |
| Grant date | Dec 23, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 21, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F12/0831
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for transferring information between a processor and a memory system utilizing a chunk write buffer, where read and write requests to the L2 cache memory are controlled by the processor. The cache line associated with each such request is larger than the interface coupling the L2 cache memory and the processor. Read requests are returned from the L2 cache memory to the processor in burst fashion. Write requests are transferred from the processor to the L2 cache memory during clock cycles in which the processor does not require the interface for a read request. Write requests need not be transferred in burst fashion; rather, a portion of the write request corresponding to the size of the interface, referred to as a chunk, is transferred from the processor to the L2 cache memory and stored temporarily in the chunk write buffer. When the processor has transferred the entire cache line to the L2 cache memory, the processor signals the L2 cache memory to transfer the contents of the chunk write buffer into the data array of the cache memory.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.