Shared memory multiprocessor system and method of operation thereof

A digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals,
• at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit means for generating an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• B. memory management means, coupled to said processing cells, for accessing information-representative signals stored in said memory elements, said memory management means including means responsive to
• i) selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• ii) selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• c. said memory management means further including deallocation means for selecting for deallocation a data page for which physical storage space is allocated in at least a first memory element and a second memory element.

A digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals,
• at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit means for generating an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• B. memory management means, coupled to said processing cells, for accessing information-representative signals stored in said memory elements, said memory management means including means responsive to
• i) selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• ii) selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• C. said memory management means further including deallocation means for selecting for deallocation physical storage space allocated to a data page based on a history of access of an information-representative signal in that page by said central processing unit means.

A digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising a plurality of data subpages of information-representative signals,
• at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit means for generating an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more or said memory elements,
• B. memory management means, coupled to said processing cells, for accessing information-representative signals stored in said memory elements, said memory management means including means responsive to
• i) selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• ii) selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• C. said memory management means including state-defining means coupled with said plural memory elements for associating an access state with the subpages stored therein, and
• D. said memory management means further including deallocation means for selectively deallocating physical storage space allocated to a data page based on an access state of one or more subpages thereof.

A digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals,
• at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit means for generating an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• B. memory management means, coupled to said processing cells, for accessing information-representative signals stored in said memory elements, said memory management means including means responsive to selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit means, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• C. said memory management means further including backing store means for transferring information-representative signals forming a selected data page to a secondary storage device.

A method for operating a digital data processing apparatus comprising

• providing plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising a plurality of data subpages of information-representative signals, at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit,
• generating with said central processing unit an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• responding to at least selected ones of said access-request signals for
• i) allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is that exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for
• ii) storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space.

A method for operating a digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. providing plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals, at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit
• B. generating with said central processing unit an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• C. responding to selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• D. responding to selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space, and
• E. said memory management means further including deallocation means for selecting for deallocation a data page for which physical storage space is allocated in at least a first memory element and a second memory element.

A method for operating a digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. providing plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals, at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit,
• B. generating an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• C. responding to selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space, and
• D. transferring information-representative signals forming a selected data page to a secondary storage device.

A method for operating a digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. providing plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising one or more data subpages of information-representative signals, at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit,
• B. generating, with said central processing unit, an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• C. responding to selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• D. responding to selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space, and
• E. selectively deallocating physical storage space allocated to a data page based on a history of access of an information-representative signal in that page by said central processing unit.

A method for operating a digital data processing apparatus comprising

• A. providing plural processing cells, each including a memory element for storing data pages, each data page comprising a plurality of data subpages of information-representative signals, at least one of said processing cells including central processing unit,
• B. generating, with said central processing unit, an access-request signal representative of a request for access to a data subpage stored in one or more of said memory elements,
• C. responding to selected ones of said access-request signals for allocating, only within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is the exclusive physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• D. responding to selected other ones of said access-request signals for allocating, within a memory element associated with the requesting central processing unit, physical storage space for the data page associated with the requested data subpage, wherein that space is not exclusive the physical storage space for the requested information-representative signal with respect to all of said memory elements, and for storing the requested data subpage in that allocated physical storage space,
• E. associating an access state with the subpages stored therein, and
• E. selectively deallocating physical storage space allocated to a data page based on an access state of one or more subpages thereof.