Object addressed memory hierarchy

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of processors;
• an object cache operatively connected to the plurality of processors;
• a memory;
• and
• a translator interposed between the object cache and the memory, wherein the translator maps an object address to a physical address within the memory.

A method for retrieving an object in a single processor environment comprising:

• obtaining an object address corresponding to the object;
• determining if the object address corresponds to a tag in a tag array of a cache;
• retrieving the object address if the tag corresponding to the object address is in the tag array;
• translating the object address into a physical address if the object address is not in the tag array;
• and
• retrieving a cache line using the physical address if the object address is not in the tag array.

A method for retrieving an object in a multiprocessor environment comprising:

• obtaining an object address corresponding to the object;
• determining if the object address corresponds to a tag in a tag array of a cache;
• retrieving the object if the tag corresponding to the object address is in the tag array;
• translating the object address into a physical address if the object address is not in the tag array;
• and
• retrieving the object using the physical address if the object address is not in the tag array.