Patent · US Expired

Cache tag system for use with multiple processors including the most recently requested processor identification

US5737757A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
13References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 23, 1997
Grant dateApr 7, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 23, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0822
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A shared memory multiprocessor computer system in which one or more processor modules and/or input/output modules have cache memories. The main memory controller for each main memory of the system maintains a duplicate cache tag array containing current information on the status of data lines from the main memory that are stored in the cache memories. Thus, coherency checks can be performed directly by the main memory controller. This eliminates the need for each processor having a cache memory to perform a separate coherency check and to communicate the results of its coherency checks to the main memory controller, and thereby reduces delays associated with processing coherent transactions.

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