Concurrent read access and exclusive write access to data in shared memory architecture

A method of maintaining coherence between a plurality of devices coupled to a shared memory architecture, the method comprising:

• in a first device, retrieving a first copy of a block of memory and obtaining exclusive write access to the block of memory;
• and
• in a second device, retrieving a second copy of the block of memory and obtaining read access to the block of memory, wherein the second device has read access to the block of memory concurrently with the first device having exclusive write access to the block of memory.

A circuit arrangement configured for use in a shared memory architecture, the circuit arrangement comprising:

• a first device configured to retrieve a first copy of a block of memory and obtain exclusive write access to the block of memory;
• and
• a second device configured to retrieve a second copy of the block of memory and obtain read access to the block of memory, wherein the second device has read access to the block of memory concurrently with the first device having exclusive write access to the block of memory.

A circuit arrangement configured for use in a shared memory architecture, the circuit arrangement comprising:

• an interface configured to interface first and second devices to a shared memory architecture;
• and
• a coherency circuit coupled to the interface and configured to forward a first copy of a block of memory in the shared memory architecture to the first device and grant to the first device exclusive write access to the block of memory, and to forward a second copy of the block of memory to the second device and grant to the second device read access to the block of memory, wherein the second device has read access to the block of memory concurrently with the first device having exclusive write access to the block of memory.