Patent · US Active

Handling access requests in a data processing apparatus

US7657694B2 · kind B2 · utility

263Cited by
2References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 20, 2006
Grant dateFeb 2, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 22, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F13/24
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A data processing apparatus is provided comprising processing logic for issuing access requests when access to data is required, with each access request specifying a memory address associated with the data the subject of the access request. Access control logic is used to perform an access control operation to check for each access request whether the specified memory address is accessible by the processing logic. Further, a table is provided having a plurality of entries, each entry identifying an address range and an associated action. On occurrence of one or more predetermined events, the access control logic references the table to determine whether the specified address is within the address range identified by an entry of the table. If so, the associated action specified in that entry is invoked, whereas otherwise the access control logic causes any action indicated by the access control operation to be performed. This provides a particularly efficient mechanism for handling access requests in a variety of situations, for example within a virtualization environment where the access requests are directed to virtual devices implemented by hypervisor software.

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