Storage buffers with reference counters to improve utilization
US7233334B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 29, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02D10/00
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide circuits, methods, and apparatus that improve utilization of storage buffers by overwriting data in them as soon as the data is no longer needed. An exemplary embodiment employs a counter to add each time a particular unit of data is needed by a circuit. The counter also subtracts each time the data is actually used by the circuit. When the counter reaches zero, upstream circuitry is checked to see if a command allowing the particular data to be overwritten has been issued. If it has, the command is not waited for, rather the data may be overwritten immediately. Embodiments of the present invention may also make use of one level of indirection to mask physical storage buffer locations from upstream circuitry. In this way, utilization can be improved.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.