Patent · US Expired

Method of cache management to store information in particular regions of the cache according to information-type

US6434668B1 · kind B1 · utility

34Cited by
9References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 7, 1999
Grant dateAug 13, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 7, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/10
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A set associative cache includes a number of congruence classes that each contain a plurality of sets, a directory, and a cache controller. The directory indicates, for each congruence class, which of a plurality of information types each of the plurality of sets can store. At least one set in at least one of the congruence classes is restricted to storing fewer than all of the information types and at least one set can store multiple information types. When the cache receives information to be stored of a particular information type, the cache controller stores the information into one of the plurality of sets indicated by the directory as capable of storing that particular information type. By managing the sets in which sets information is stored according to information type, an awareness of the characteristics of the various information types can easily be incorporated into the cache's allocation and victim selection policies.

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