System and method for prefetching information in a processing system
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorMark E. Dean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system are provided for prefetching information in a processing system. A first memory has multiple first locations. At least one of the first locations stores information including an address of a different first location, the different first location having been referenced in the first memory after a previous reference to the one first location. A second memory has at least one second location storing information from the one first location, including the address. Information is prefetched to the second memory from the address of the first memory, in response to a reference to the second location.
Claims20
A system for prefetching information in a processing system, comprising:
- a first memory for storing first and second information;
- a second memory for selectively storing said first and second information;
- and
- circuitry for:
- determining whether said second memory stores said first information;
- accessing said first information in said second memory only if said second memory stores said first information, otherwise said first information being accessed in said first memory;
- determining whether said second memory stores said second information;
- after accessing said first information, accessing said second information in said second memory only if said second memory stores said second information, otherwise said second information being accessed in said first memory;
- in response to accessing said second information, modifying said first information in said first memory to include an indication of said second information in said first memory;
- and
- in response to accessing said first information, prefetching said second information from said first memory to said second memory ill response to said indication.
A method of prefetching information in a processing system, comprising the steps of:
- storing first and second information in a first memory;
- selectively storing said first and second information in a second memory;
- determining whether said second memory stores said first information;
- accessing said first information in said second memory only if said second memory stores said first information, otherwise said first information being accessed in said first memory;
- determining whether said second memory stores said second information;
- after accessing said first information, accessing said second information in said second memory only if said second memory stores said second information, otherwise said second information being accessed in said first memory;
- in response to accessing said second information, modifying said first information in said first memory to include an indication of said second information in said first memory;
- and
- in response to accessing said first information, prefetching said second information from said first memory to said second memory in response to said indication.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.