Patent · US Active

Managing migration of a prefetch stream from one processor core to another processor core

US8688960B2 · kind B2 · utility

3Cited by
6References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 2010
Grant dateApr 1, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 22, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2212/6026
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method, system and computer-usable medium are disclosed for managing prefetch streams in a virtual machine environment. Compiled application code in a first core, which comprises a Special Purpose Register (SPR) and a plurality of first prefetch engines, initiates a prefetch stream request. If the prefetch stream request cannot be initiated due to unavailability of a first prefetch engine, then an indicator bit indicating a Prefetch Stream Dispatch Fault is set in the SPR, causing a Hypervisor to interrupt the execution of the prefetch stream request. The Hypervisor then calls its associated operating system (OS), which determines prefetch engine availability for a second core comprising a plurality of second prefetch engines. If a second prefetch engine is available, then the OS migrates the prefetch stream request from the first core to the second core, where it is initiated on an available second prefetch engine.

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