Cache phase detector and processor core
OwnerJu-Hee CHOI, Hoi-Jin Leeinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cache phase detector included in a processor core according to example embodiments includes a counting unit and a signal generating unit. The counting unit generates a critical section miscount by counting a request from the processor core resulting in a tag miss and a valid cache line based on a tag miss signal and a cache line valid signal. The signal generating unit compares the critical section miscount from the counting unit with a reference value, and generates a cache phase change signal if the critical section miscount is greater than the reference value.
Claims20
A cache phase detector included in a processor core, the cache phase detector comprising:
- a counting unit configured to generate a critical section miscount by counting a request from the processor core resulting in a tag miss and a valid cache line based on a tag miss signal and a cache line valid signal, the tag miss signal indicating that a tag corresponding to the request does not exist in a critical section cache, and the cache line valid signal indicating that a cache line of the critical section cache corresponding to the request is valid;
- and
- a signal generating unit configured to compare the critical section miscount from the counting unit with a reference value, and configured to generate a cache phase change signal if the critical section miscount is greater than the reference value, the cache phase change signal indicating that a cache phase of a critical section performed by the processor core is changed.
A processor core included in a multi-core processor, the processor core comprising:
- a first-level data cache;
- a critical section data cache having a size smaller than that of the first-level data cache;
- and
- a data cache selecting device configured to generate a data critical section miscount by counting a data request from the processor core resulting in a tag miss and a valid cache line, configured to determine a data cache phase of the critical section data cache based on the data critical section miscount, and configured to select, as a data cache to be accessed by the processor core, the critical section data cache or the first-level data cache according to the determined data cache phase.
A critical section cache selector included in a processor core including a critical section cache and at least one n-level cache, the cache selector comprising:
- a cache phase detector configured to determine a cache phase of the critical section cache based on a critical section miss signal generated based on tag miss signals and valid cache line signals generated in response to requests from the processor core, and to select the critical section cache or the at least one n-level cache based on the critical section miss signal, where n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.