Embedded configurable engine
AssigneeXilinx, Inc.
InventorsAlireza Kaviani, Pongstorn Maidee, Ivo Bolsens
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Abstract
Embodiments herein describe a configurable engine that is embedded into the cache hierarchy of a processor. The configurable engine can enable efficient data sharing between the main memory, cache memories, and the core. The configurable engine can perform operations that are more efficient to be done in the cache hierarchy. In one embodiment, the configurable engine is controlled (or configured) by software (e.g., the operating system (OS)), adapting to each application domain. That is, the OS can configure the engine according to a data flow profile of a particular application being executed by the processor.
Claims20
A processor, comprising:
- a first core comprising a first private cache in a first level of a cache hierarchy;
- a second core comprising a second private cache in the first level of the cache hierarchy;
- a shared cache in a second level of the cache hierarchy, the shared cache comprising a configurable engine, the configurable engine comprising circuitry configured to manage data transferred between the first and second private caches and the shared cache,
- wherein the configurable engine is reconfigurable, by software, to perform tasks for different user applications executing on the first and second cores.
A method, comprising:
- providing a configurable engine in a shared cache of a processor, wherein the processor comprises multiple cores with private caches, wherein the configurable engine comprises circuitry that manages data transferred between the private caches and the shared cache;
- receiving a library or framework for the configurable engine;
- providing runtime information from a user application to the configurable engine using the library or framework;
- and
- linking the library or framework to the user application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.