Method for upper level cache victim selection management by a lower level cache

A computer system comprising:

• a system memory device;
• means for processing program instructions;
• means, connected to said processing means, for caching values stored in said system memory device, said caching means having at least an upper level cache and a lower level cache both associated with said processing means;
• means for monitoring, at the lower level cache, cache activity of both said upper level cache and said lower level cache, said cache activity including both hits and misses in said upper level cache;
• at the lower level cache, means, responsive to receipt of a load request issued by said processing means that misses in said upper level cache, for selecting a victim cache block in said upper level cache for receiving a value specified in the load request based at least in part on cache hits of said upper level cache;
• and
• means for maintaining inclusivity between said upper level and lower level caches.

A cache hierarchy, comprising:

• at least an upper level cache array and a lower level cache array;
• a cache controller for said lower level cache array that monitors cache activity of both said upper level cache array and said lower level cache array including hits and misses in said upper level cache array and that, responsive to a miss of a load request in said upper level cache array, selects a victim cache block in said upper level cache for receiving a value specified in the load request based at least in part on cache hits of said upper level cache array;
• and
• said cache controller comprising means for maintaining inclusivity between said upper level cache array and said lower level cache array.