Prioritizing and locking removed and subsequently reloaded cache lines
US6901483B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 24, 2002 |
| Grant date | May 31, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 1, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F12/126
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method for selecting a line to replace in an inclusive set-associative cache memory system which is based on a least recently used replacement policy but is enhanced to detect and give special treatment to the reloading of a line that has been recently cast out. A line which has been reloaded after having been recently cast out is assigned a special encoding which temporarily gives priority to the line in the cache so that it will not be selected for replacement in the usual least recently used replacement process. This method of line selection for replacement improves system performance by providing better hit rates in the cache hierarchy levels above, by ensuring that heavily used lines in the levels above are not aged out of the levels below due to lack of use.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.