Address translation cache and system including the same

An address translation cache (ATC) configured to store translation entries indicating mapping information between a virtual address and a physical address of a memory device, the ATC comprising:

• a plurality of flexible page group caches, each flexible page group cache configured to store translation entries corresponding to a page size allocated to the flexible page group cache;
• a shared cache configured to store, regardless of page sizes, translation entries that are not stored in the plurality of flexible page group caches;
• a cache manager configured to allocate a page size to each flexible page group cache, manage cache page information on the page sizes allocated to the plurality of flexible page group caches, and control the plurality of flexible page group caches and the shared cache based on the cache page information,
• wherein the cache manager is further configured such that:
• when the cache manager receives an input translation entry corresponding to a new page size that is different from the page sizes allocated to the plurality of flexible page group caches and there exists an empty flexible page group cache among the plurality of flexible page group caches to which the page size is not allocated, the cache manager allocates the new page size to the empty flexible page group cache and stores the input translation entry in the empty flexible page group cache to which the new page size is allocated, and
• when the cache manager receives an input translation entry corresponding to a new page size that is different from the page sizes allocated to the plurality of flexible page group caches and there does not exist an empty flexible page group cache to which the page size is not allocated, the cache manager stores the input translation entry in the shared cache.

A system comprising:

• a host memory device;
• a host processor;
• a direct memory access device configured to perform a direct memory access to the host memory device, the direct memory access device including an address translation cache (ATC) configured to store translation entries indicating mapping information between a virtual address of the host processor and a physical address of a memory device;
• and
• a memory management unit configured to manage access of the host processor and the direct memory access device to the host memory device,
• wherein the ATC includes:
• a plurality of flexible page group caches, each flexible page group cache configured to store translation entries corresponding to a page size allocated to the flexible group cache;
• a shared cache configured to store, regardless of page sizes, translation entries that are not stored in the plurality of flexible page group caches;
• and
• a cache manager configured to allocate the page size to each flexible page group cache, manage cache page information on the page sizes allocated to the plurality of flexible page group caches, and control the plurality of flexible page group caches and the shared cache based on the cache page information,
• wherein the plurality of flexible page group caches are implemented with a plurality of set associative caches and the shared cache is implemented with a fully associative cache.

An address translation cache (ATC) configured to store translation entries indicating mapping information between a virtual address and a physical address of a memory device, the ATC comprising:

• a plurality of function-dedicated caches dedicated to a plurality of functions and implemented with a plurality of fully associative caches, each function-dedicated cache configured to store translation entries related to a respective function;
• a plurality of flexible page group caches implemented with a plurality of set associative caches, each flexible page group cache configured to store translation entries corresponding to a page size allocated to the flexible group cache and not stored in the plurality of function-dedicated caches;
• a shared cache implemented with a fully associative cache, the shared cache configured to store, regardless of page sizes, translation entries that are not stored in the plurality of function-dedicated caches or the plurality of flexible page group caches;
• and
• a cache manager configured to allocate the page size to each flexible page group cache, manage cache page information on the page sizes allocated to the plurality of flexible page group caches, and control the plurality of flexible page group caches and the shared cache based on the cache page information.