Patent · US Expired

Writeback cache cell with a dual ported dirty bit cell and method for operating such a cache cell

US6055606A · kind A · utility

18Cited by
3References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 5, 1997
Grant dateApr 25, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 5, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0804
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A writeback cache cell and method for operating a writeback cache. In one example, the method includes reading a memory cell of the writeback cache through a first port to determine whether the memory cell stores a first value which indicates that a memory location in the writeback cache has updated data relative to data stored in another memory and writing the first value to the memory cell through a second port if the reading step determined that the memory cell did not store the first value. An example of a writeback cache cell includes a memory cell storing a first value which indicates that a memory location in the writeback cache has updated data relative to data stored in another memory location when the data stored in the another memory location is invalid and includes a first port coupled to the memory cell and a second port coupled to the memory cell. The first port is used to read the memory cell to determine if the memory cell is storing the first value, and the second port is used to write the first value to the memory cell.

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