Disabling cache portions during low voltage operations
Methods and apparatus relating to disabling one or more cache portions during low voltage operations are described. In some embodiments, one or more extra bits may be used for a portion of a cache that indicate whether the portion of the cache is capable at operating at or below Vccmin levels. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
1. A processor comprising:
a cache having a plurality of cache line sets;
replacement logic to detect access to a cache line set in an ultra low power mode (ULPM) and to permit access to a cache line of a first way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the first way, but not to permit access to a cache line of a second way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way,
wherein the ULPM uses an ultra low voltage level to access cache lines at or lower than a minimum voltage level at which all memory cells of the cache may operate reliably.
2. The processor of claim 1 , further comprising power on self test (POST) logic to test the cache line set to determine whether the cache line of the first way is operable at the ultra low voltage level.
3. The processor of claim 2 , further comprising logic to update the one or more disable bits in response to test results generated by the POST logic.
4. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the one or more disable bits comprise one or more redundant bits.
5. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the access to the cache line set results in a miss in response to the one or more disable bits even if there is a hit in a corresponding tag.
6. The processor of claim 1 , wherein a given address maps to different cache line sets at different times.
7. The processor of claim 6 , further comprising counter to result in the given address being mapped to different cache line sets.
8. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the cache comprises a level 1 cache, a mid-level cache, or a last level cache.
9. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the replacement logic is to permit access to the cache line of the second way of the cache line set while not in the ULPM ignoring the one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way.
10. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the replacement logic is to flush the cache line of the second way of the cache line set while transitioning to the ULPM based on the one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way.
11. The processor of claim 1 , wherein the replacement logic is to evict the cache line of the first way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on the one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the first way, but not to evict the cache line of the second way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on the one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way.
12. The processor of claim 11 , wherein the replacement logic is to treat cache lines of the cache line set as most recently used in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits of the respective cache line.
13. A processor comprising:
a cache having a plurality of cache line sets;
replacement logic to detect access to a cache line set in an ultra low power mode (ULPM) and to evict a cache line of a first way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the first way, but not to evict a cache line of a second way of the cache line set in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way,
wherein the ULPM uses an ultra low voltage level to access cache lines at a voltage lower than a minimum voltage level at which all memory cells of the cache operate reliably.
14. The processor of claim 13 , wherein the replacement logic is to treat cache lines of the cache line set as most recently used in the ULPM based at least in part on one or more disable bits of the respective cache line.
15. The processor of claim 13 , further comprising power on self test (POST) logic to test the cache line set to determine whether the cache line of the first way is operable at the ultra low voltage level.
16. The processor of claim 13 , wherein the one or more disable bits comprise one or more redundant bits.
17. The processor of claim 13 , wherein the access to the cache line set results in a miss in response to the one or more disable bits even if there is a hit in a corresponding tag.
18. The processor of claim 13 , wherein a given address maps to different cache line sets at different times.
19. The processor of claim 18 , further comprising a counter to result in the given address being mapped to different cache line sets.
20. The processor of claim 13 , wherein the replacement logic is to evict the cache line of the second way of the cache line set while not in the ULPM ignoring the one or more disable bits corresponding to the cache line of the second way.