Page table walker that uses at least one of a default page size and a page size selected for a virtual address space to position a sliding field in a virtual address
US6088780A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 11, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2212/652
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for implementing a page table walker that uses at least one of a default page size and a page size selected for a virtual address space to position a sliding field in a virtual address. According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for use in a computer system is provided that includes a page size storage area and a page table walker. The page size storage area is used to store a number of page sizes each selected for translating a different set of virtual addresses. The page table walker includes a selection unit coupled to the page size storage area, as well as a page entry address generator coupled to the selection unit. For each of the virtual address received, the selection unit positions a field in that virtual address based on the page size selected for translating the set of virtual addresses to which that virtual address belongs. In response to receiving the bits in the field identified for each of the virtual addresses, the page entry address generator identifies an entry in a page table based on those bits.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.