System and method for a software controlled cache
US6668307B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2000 |
| Grant date | Dec 23, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 18, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/30101
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method are provided for improved handling of data in a cache memory system (105) for caching data transferred between a processor (110) capable of executing a program and a main-memory (115). The cache memory system (105) has at least one cache (135) with several cache-lines (160) capable of caching data therein. In the method, a cache address space is provided for each cache (135) and special instructions are generated and inserted into the program to directly control caching of data in at least one ofthe cache-lines (160). Special instructions received in the cache memory system (105) are then executed to cache the data. The special instructions can be generated by a compiler during compiling of the program. Where the cache memory system (105) includes a set-associative-cache having a number of sets each with several cache-lines (160), the method can further include the step of determining which cache-line in a set to flush to main-memory (115) before caching new data to the set.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.