Variable protection window extension for a target address of a store-conditional request

A processing unit for a data processing system, said processing unit comprising:

• a processor core that executes memory access instructions and issues memory access requests;
• a cache memory coupled to the processor core to receive the memory access requests, wherein the cache memory is configured to perform:
• establishing a reservation of a hardware thread of the processor core for a store target address;
• servicing a store-conditional request of the processor core by conditionally updating the shared memory with store data based on the whether the hardware thread has a reservation for the store target address;
• receiving a hint associated with the store-conditional request indicating an intent of the store-conditional request;
• and
• protecting the store target address against access by any conflicting memory access request during a protection window extension following servicing of the store-conditional request, wherein the cache memory establishes a first duration for the protection window extension based on the hint having a first value and establishes a different second duration for the protection window extension based on the hint having a different second value.

A design structure tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device for designing, manufacturing, or testing an integrated circuit, the design structure comprising:

• a processing unit for a data processing system, said processing unit including:
• a processor core that executes memory access instructions and issues memory access requests;
• a cache memory coupled to the processor core to receive the memory access requests, wherein the cache memory is configured to perform:
• establishing a reservation of a hardware thread of the processor core for a store target address;
• servicing a store-conditional request of the processor core by conditionally updating the shared memory with store data based on the whether the hardware thread has a reservation for the store target address;
• receiving a hint associated with the store-conditional request indicating an intent of the store-conditional request;
• and
• protecting the store target address against access by any conflicting memory access request during a protection window extension following servicing of the store-conditional request, wherein the cache memory establishes a first duration for the protection window extension based on the hint having a first value and establishes a different second duration for the protection window extension based on the hint having a different second value.