Coherent translation look-aside buffer

An input/output bridge for use in a distributed shared memory computer system comprising a plurality of interconnected processors, one or more shared memories that are coupled to the processors and are configured into a plurality of blocks, and one or more directories for maintaining coherency status over information in the shared memories, wherein each memory block has a corresponding system address, the I/O bridge configured to provide one or more I/O devices with access to information in the shared memories, the I/O devices using I/O addresses, the I/O bridge comprising:

• at least one translation look-aside buffer (TLB) configured to store information for translating I/O addresses to system addresses;
• and
• a controller coupled to the TLB, the controller configured to:
• request, from a selected directory, exclusive ownership over translation information to be stored in the TLB;
• and
• invalidate translation information stored in the TLB in response to a request from the computer system, as initiated by one of the one or more directories.

The method of claim I further comprising the steps of:

• receiving an instruction at the first I/O bridge to invalidate a designated portion of the address translation information stored at the I/O bridge's TLB;
• invalidating the designated portion of address translation information from the TLB;
• and
• sending an invalidation acknowledgment.

An input/output (I/O) bridge for use in a computer system having one or more processors, one or more shared memories that are accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more shared memories storing address translation information, and one or more directories for maintaining coherency status over information in the shared memories, the I/O bridge comprising:

• means for communicating with one or more I/O devices coupled to the I/O bridge;
• means for communicating with the one or more shared memories;
• means for requesting, of a particular one of the one or more directories, exclusive ownership over selected address translation information stored at the one or more shared memories;
• and
• means for storing, at the I/O bridge, the selected address translation information over which the I/O bridge obtained exclusive ownership.