Cache control unit with a cache request transaction-oriented protocol
DCFirst Claim
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1. A method for controlling a cache, the cache being coupled to a device, the method comprising:
- receiving by a cache controller a first cache request from the device;
providing by the cache controller a first request ID value corresponding to the first cache request to the device after receiving the first cache request;
initiating processing of the first cache request after receiving the first cache request;
receiving by the cache controller a second cache request from the device after receiving the first cache request;
providing by the cache controller a second request ID value corresponding to the second cache request to the device after receiving the second cache request;
initiating processing of the second cache request after receiving the second cache request; and
completing the processing of the first and second cache requests after receiving the second cache request.
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Abstract
A cache control unit and a method of controlling a cache. The cache is coupled to a cache accessing device. A first cache request is received from the device. A request identification information is assigned to the first cache request and provided to the requesting device. The first cache request may begin to be processed. A second cache request is received from the cache accessing device. The second cache request is assigned to the first cache request and provided to the requesting device. The first and second cache requests are finally fully serviced.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for controlling a cache, the cache being coupled to a device, the method comprising:
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receiving by a cache controller a first cache request from the device; providing by the cache controller a first request ID value corresponding to the first cache request to the device after receiving the first cache request; initiating processing of the first cache request after receiving the first cache request; receiving by the cache controller a second cache request from the device after receiving the first cache request; providing by the cache controller a second request ID value corresponding to the second cache request to the device after receiving the second cache request; initiating processing of the second cache request after receiving the second cache request; and completing the processing of the first and second cache requests after receiving the second cache request. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A cache system comprising:
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a cache for temporarily storing information; and a cache control unit comprising; access control logic for receiving and executing a plurality of cache accesses by a cache accessing device; identification logic for assigning request identification information uniquely identifying each of the plurality of cache accesses, and for providing the request identification information to the cache accessing device, the identification logic capable of providing the request identification information prior to execution of the plurality of cache accesses by the access control logic; and result logic for providing the request identification information and information requested by the cache accessing device to the cache accessing device if the cache access was a read. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling a cache, the cache being coupled to at least one device, the method comprising:
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receiving by a cache controller a first cache request from a first device of the at least one device; providing by the cache controller a first request ID value corresponding to the first cache request to the first device after receiving the first cache request; initiating processing of the first cache request after receiving the first cache request; receiving by the cache controller a second cache request from a second device of the at least one device after receiving the first cache request; providing by the cache controller a second request ID value corresponding to the second cache request to the second device after receiving the second cache request; initiating processing of the second cache request after receiving the second cache request; completing the processing of the first cache request after receiving the second cache request; and completing the processing of the second cache request after receiving the second cache request. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A method of controlling a cache, the cache coupled to a cache controller and a cache accessing device, the method comprising:
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a first step of receiving a first cache request from the cache accessing device by the cache controller; a second step of providing a first request ID to the cache accessing device by the cache controller after the first step; a third step of storing the first request ID by the cache accessing device after the second step; a fourth step of receiving a second cache request from the cache accessing device by the cache controller after the first step; a fifth step of providing a second request ID to the cache accessing device by the cache controller after the fourth step; a sixth step of storing the second request ID by the cache accessing device after the fifth step; a seventh step of processing the first cache request after the second step; and an eighth step of processing the second cache request after the fifth step. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A cache control unit for controlling a cache system, the cache control unit comprising:
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means for receiving requests from a cache requesting device into a request queue; means for stalling further requests until pending requests are serviced; means for providing request identification information to the cache requesting device, the request identification information uniquely identifying each request received from a cache requesting device; means for servicing the requests, including means for servicing a second received request before a first received request is serviced; means for providing requested information from a cache line and corresponding request identification information to a requesting device; means for providing requested information and corresponding request identification information to a requesting device after a cache line is refilled from the memory; means for refilling information from a memory when a cache miss occurs; means for writing a dirty cache line to the memory; and means for writing from the cache to the memory. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification