Apparatus And Related Method For Maintaining Read Caching Data of South Bridge With North Bridge

A computer system comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU) comprising a cache for caching data;
• a memory for storing data where each data has a corresponding address;
• a peripheral device;
• a south bridge electrically connected to the peripheral device, the south bridge having a register for storing a plurality of pre-fetched read data to provide the pre-fetched read data to the peripheral device while being requested;
• and
• a north bridge electrically connected to the CPU and the memory, the north bridge comprising:
• an address queue module for storing an address of the pre-fetched read data;
• and
• a snooping module for checking whether a data value corresponding to the address is updated by the CPU.

A method for a north bridge to assist a south bridge in maintaining pre-fetched read data, the method comprising:

• storing at least one pre-fetched read data in the south bridge in a predetermined time while the south bridge transmits at least one peripheral data to a peripheral device, the addresses of the pre-fetched read data not identical to the addresses of the peripheral data;
• storing an address of the pre-fetched read data in the north bridge in another predetermined time;
• and
• performing an inspection periodically for checking whether the data value corresponding to the address is updated by the CPU.