Memory-centric Page Table Walker
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSumedh W. Sathaye, Gordon Taylor Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The page table walker is moved from its conventional location in the memory management unit associated with the data processor to a location in main memory i.e. the main memory controller. As a result, an implementation is provided wherein the processing of requests for data could selectively avoid or bypass cumbersome caches associated with the data processor.
Claims20
A computer system comprising:
- a data processor unit connected to a main memory;
- said data processor unit including a memory management unit for controlling the conversion of an address of requested data received from a processor into a physical address of said requested data;
- and
- said main memory including
- apparatus for storing the data being accessed in pages at said physical addresses;
- a page table accessed by said memory management unit for converting to said page addresses;
- and
- a page table walker for proceeding through the entries on said page table.
In a computer system including a data processor unit connected to a main memory, a method for converting an address of requested data received from a processor into a physical address of said requested data comprising the steps of
- storing the data being accessed in pages at said physical addresses in said main memory;
- and
- converting said address of requested data into said page addresses using a page table stored in said main memory including the steps of proceeding through the entries on said page table using a page table walker stored in said main memory.
A main memory unit adapted for operative association with a data processor, said main memory unit comprising
- apparatus for storing the data being accessed in pages at said physical addresses;
- a page table accessed by said memory management unit for converting to said page addresses;
- and
- a page table walker for proceeding through the entries in said page table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.