IP Library Granted Patent US 9,384,146
Granted Patent B2
US 9,384,146 · App. 14/036,508 · Granted Jul 5, 2016

Dynamic reservations in a unified request queue

Inventors: Benjiman L. Goodman (Cedar Park, TX); Harrison M. McCreary (Austin, TX); Eric E. Retter (Austin, TX); Steven L. Roberts (Cedar Park, TX); Jeffrey A. Stuecheli (Austin, TX)
Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
G06F12/121G06F12/123G06F13/4059G06F12/0831G06F2213/0038
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,384,146
App. No.
14/036,508
Granted
Jul 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A unified request queue includes multiple entries for servicing multiple types of requests. Each of the entries of the unified request queue is generally allocable to requests of any of the multiple request types. A number of entries in the unified request queue is reserved for a first request type among the multiple types of requests. The number of entries reserved for the first request type is dynamically varied based on a number of requests of the first request type rejected by the unified request queue due to allocation of entries in the unified request queue to other requests.

Claims (20)

1. A method of data processing in a data processing system, the method comprising:

servicing multiple types of requests via a unified request queue including a total of N entries, wherein N is a positive integer greater than one and any of the N entries is allocable to a request of any of multiple request types;

reserving a number of entries in the unified request queue for a first request type among the multiple request types; and

dynamically varying the number of entries reserved for the first request type based on a number of requests of the first request type rejected by the unified request queue due to allocation of entries in the unified request queue to other requests, wherein: the data processing system includes a memory controller including the unified request queue;

servicing multiple types of requests includes servicing multiple types of memory access requests; and

wherein the dynamically varying includes dynamically varying the number of entries reserved for the first request type based on a number of Retry coherence responses provided for requests of the first request type within a predetermined period.

2. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising initializing the number of entries that are reserved for the first request type to zero.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamically varying includes incrementing a number of reserved entries only up to maximum that is less than N.

4. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

dynamically varying a number of entries reserved for a second request type among the multiple request types based on a number of requests of the second request type rejected by the unified request queue due to allocation of entries in the unified request queue to other requests.

5. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

rejecting a request of a second request type without allocating a free entry of the unified request queue in response to the free entry being included among the number of entries reserved for the first request type.

6. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

in responsive to a request:

allocating a free entry of the N entries to the request in response to being able to allocate the free entry while preserving the number of entries then reserved for the first request type; and

refraining from allocating any free entry to the request in response to not being able to allocate the free entry while preserving the number of entries then reserved for the first request type.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reserving includes:

tracking, utilizing a plurality of counters, the number of entries reserved for the first request type and a number of free entries available for allocation to requests of the first request type.

8. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising:

tracking in a counter the number of requests of the first request type rejected by the unified request queue due to allocation of entries in the unified request queue to other requests.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2013
From: GOODMAN, BENJIMAN L.; MCCREARY, HARRISON M.; RETTER, ERIC E.; ROBERTS, STEVEN L.; STUECHELI, JEFFREY A
To: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 031279/0793 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13862057 · Apr 12, 2013
Related Publication 20140310487A1 · Oct 16, 2014