Patent · US Expired

Method and system for memory updates within a multiprocessor data processing system

US6073211A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
13References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 18, 1997
Grant dateJun 6, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0817
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed which supports memory updates within a data processing system including a number of processors. The apparatus includes a memory hierarchy including one or more upper levels of memory. Each upper level within the memory hierarchy includes one or more memory units which each store a subset of all data stored within an associated memory unit at a lower level of the memory hierarchy. Each memory unit at the highest level within the memory hierarchy is associated with a selected processor. In addition, the apparatus includes a reservation indicator associated with each memory unit within the memory hierarchy. For memory units at the highest level within the memory hierarchy, the reservation indicator specifies an address for which the processor associated with that memory unit holds a reservation. At each lower level within the memory hierarchy, the reservation indicator specifies addresses for which associated memory units at higher levels within the memory hierarchy hold a reservation. A reservation for a selected address within a memory unit is resolved at a highest level within the memory hierarchy at which a memory unit stores data associated with the sele…

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