IP Library Granted Patent US 8,375,171
Granted Patent B2
US 8,375,171 · App. 12/756,535 · Granted Feb 12, 2013

System and method for providing L2 cache conflict avoidance

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,375,171
App. No.
12/756,535
Granted
Feb 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system provides a cache memory coherency mechanism within a multi-processor computing system utilizing a shared memory space across the multiple processors. The system possesses a store address list for storing cache line addresses corresponding to a cache line write request issued by one of the multiple processors, a fetch address list for storing cache line addresses corresponding to a cache line fetch request issued by one of the multiple processors, a priority and pipeline module, a request tracker module and a read/write address list. The store address list and the fetch address list are queues containing result in cache lookup requests being done by the priority and pipeline module; and each entry in the store address list and the fetch address list possess status bits which indicate the state of the request.

Claims (22)

1. A system for providing a cache memory coherency mechanism within a multi-processor computing system utilizing a shared memory space across the multiple processors, the system comprising:

a store address list for storing cache line addresses corresponding to a cache line write request issued by one of the multiple processors;

a fetch address list for storing cache line dresses corresponding to a cache line fetch request issued by one of the multiple processors;

a priority and pipeline module;

a request tracker module; and

a read/write address list;

wherein

the store address list and the fetch address list are queues containing result in cache lookup requests being done by the priority and pipeline module;

each entry in the store address list and the fetch address list possess status bits which indicate the state of the request; and

the request tracker module links the cache line write requests to fetch requests in order to delay a invalidation of the fetch request in order to maintain deferrals until the completion of the write request.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises:

an SRRO module for processes SCAM module lookup operations and new entries to the request tracker module, and processes updates to the request tracker module caused by snoops operations; and

an SRRI module for processes lookup operations and updates sent to the request tracker module.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises:

a tag field;

a congruence class address; and

a bits field.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises a SRAQ module for maintaining pending cache line eviction requests.

5. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the tag field corresponds to bits 33:20 of the address of the cache line and corresponds to a value stored in a Tag Ram.

6. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the congruence class address corresponds to bits 19:4 of the address of the cache line is used to address a Tag Ram.

7. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the bits field corresponds to bits 3:0 of the address of the cache line and determines the size of a cache line.

8. The system according to claim 3 , wherein status of the entry in the store address list and the fetch address list comprises:, an invalidated state, a wait state, a busy state, and an allocate state.

Assignments (9)
AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 27, 2025
From: UNISYS CORPORATION; UNISYS HOLDING CORPORATION; UNISYS NPL, INC.; UNISYS AP INVESTMENT COMPANY I
To: COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 071759/0527 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2020
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054231/0496 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2017
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (SUCCESSOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION)
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044416/0358 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: UNISYS CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 044144/0081 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 27, 2017
From: UNISYS CORPORATION
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
Reel/Frame 042354/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2013
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS COLLATERAL TRUSTEE
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030082/0545 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 15, 2013
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030004/0619 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 27, 2011
From: UNISYS CORPORATION
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 026509/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 27, 2010
From: HEINE, DANIEL; AHO, ERIC
To: UNISYS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024745/0899 →