Abstract:
In described examples, a processor system includes a processor core that generates memory write requests, a cache memory, and a memory pipeline of the cache memory. The memory pipeline has a holding buffer, an anchor stage, and an RMW pipeline. The anchor stage determines whether a data payload of a write request corresponds to a partial write. If so, the data payload is written to the holding buffer and conforming data is read from a corresponding cache memory address to merge with the data payload. The RMW pipeline has a merge stage and a syndrome generation stage. The merge stage merges the data payload in the holding buffer with the conforming data to make merged data. The syndrome generation stage generates an ECC syndrome using the merged data. The memory pipeline writes the data payload and ECC syndrome to the cache memory.
Abstract:
This invention assures cache coherence in a multi-level cache system upon eviction of a higher level cache line. A victim buffer stored data on evicted lines. On a DMA access that may be cached in the higher level cache the lower level cache sends a snoop write. The address of this snoop write is compared with the victim buffer. On a hit in the victim buffer the write completes in the victim buffer. When the victim data passes to the next cache level it is written into a second victim buffer to be retired when the data is committed to cache. DMA write addresses are compared to addresses in this second victim buffer. On a match the write takes place in the second victim buffer. On a failure to match the controller sends a snoop write.
Abstract:
A method to eliminate the delay of a block invalidate operation in a multi CPU environment by overlapping the block invalidate operation with normal CPU accesses, thus making the delay transparent. A range check is performed on each CPU access while a block invalidate operation is in progress, and an access that maps to within the address range of the block invalidate operation will be treated as a cache miss to ensure that the requesting CPU will receive valid data.
Abstract:
This invention assures cache coherence in a multi-level cache system upon eviction of a higher level cache line. A victim buffer stored data on evicted lines. On a DMA access that may be cached in the higher level cache the lower level cache sends a snoop write. The address of this snoop write is compared with the victim buffer. On a hit in the victim buffer the write completes in the victim buffer. When the victim data passes to the next cache level it is written into a second victim buffer to be retired when the data is committed to cache. DMA write addresses are compared to addresses in this second victim buffer. On a match the write takes place in the second victim buffer. On a failure to match the controller sends a snoop write.
Abstract:
In described examples, a processor system includes a processor core generating memory transactions, a lower level cache memory with a lower memory controller, and a higher level cache memory with a higher memory controller having a memory pipeline. The higher memory controller is connected to the lower memory controller by a bypass path that skips the memory pipeline. The higher memory controller: determines whether a memory transaction is a bypass write, which is a memory write request indicated not to result in a corresponding write being directed to the higher level cache memory; if the memory transaction is determined a bypass write, determines whether a memory transaction that prevents passing is in the memory pipeline; and if no transaction that prevents passing is determined to be in the memory pipeline, sends the memory transaction to the lower memory controller using the bypass path.
Abstract:
In described examples, a coherent memory system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and first and second level caches. The memory system can include a pipeline for accessing data stored in one of the caches. Requestors can access the data stored in one of the caches by sending requests at a same time that can be arbitrated by the pipeline.
Abstract:
A stream of data is accessed from a memory system using a stream of addresses generated in a first mode of operating a streaming engine in response to executing a first stream instruction. A block cache management operation is performed on a cache in the memory using a block of addresses generated in a second mode of operating the streaming engine in response to executing a second stream instruction.
Abstract:
A method includes receiving a first request to allocate a line in an N-way set associative cache and, in response to a cache coherence state of a way indicating that a cache line stored in the way is invalid, allocating the way for the first request. The method also includes, in response to no ways in the set having a cache coherence state indicating that the cache line stored in the way is invalid, randomly selecting one of the ways in the set. The method also includes, in response to a cache coherence state of the selected way indicating that another request is not pending for the selected way, allocating the selected way for the first request.
Abstract:
In described examples, a processor system includes a processor core generating memory transactions, a lower level cache memory with a lower memory controller, and a higher level cache memory with a higher memory controller having a memory pipeline. The higher memory controller is connected to the lower memory controller by a bypass path that skips the memory pipeline. The higher memory controller: determines whether a memory transaction is a bypass write, which is a memory write request indicated not to result in a corresponding write being directed to the higher level cache memory; if the memory transaction is determined a bypass write, determines whether a memory transaction that prevents passing is in the memory pipeline; and if no transaction that prevents passing is determined to be in the memory pipeline, sends the memory transaction to the lower memory controller using the bypass path.
Abstract:
In described examples, a coherent memory system includes a central processing unit (CPU) and first and second level caches. The memory system can include a pipeline for accessing data stored in one of the caches. Requestors can access the data stored in one of the caches by sending requests at a same time that can be arbitrated by the pipeline.