Patent · US Active

Avoiding livelock using intervention messages in multiple core processors

US7769958B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
8References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 22, 2007
Grant dateAug 3, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 4, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2212/1032
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Livelocks are prevented in multiple core processors by canceling data access requests upon determining that they conflict with other data access requests. A requesting processor core sends a data access request potentially causing livelock to a cache coherency manager. A cache coherency manager receives data access requests from multiple processor. The cache coherency manager sends intervention messages to all of the processor cores in response to all data access requests that may cause livelock. Upon receiving an intervention message from the cache coherency manager, the processor core determines if the intervention message corresponds with any of its own pending data access requests. If the intervention message is associated with a data access request conflicting with one of its own pending data access requests, the processor core responds to the invention message by directing the cache coherency manager to cancel its own conflicting pending data access request.

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