Multiprocessor environment supporting variable-sized coherency transactions

A system, comprising:

• a master configured to issue a request to access a block of data, wherein said block comprises a plurality of coherency granules, wherein a coherency granule is a smallest cache line size of any cache in said system;
• a bus interface logic unit coupled to said master configured to receive said request issued from said master;
• and
• a snooping logic unit coupled to said bus interface logic unit, wherein said snooping logic unit is configured to monitor a bus for addresses requested by said master, wherein said snooping logic unit performs a snoop of addresses of said plurality of coherency granules;
• wherein said bus interface logic unit comprises:
• circuitry operable for receiving a request to access a block of data from said master;
• circuitry operable for issuing a request to said snooping logic unit in a cache in said system to indicate that said request to access said block of data comprising said plurality of coherency granules is available for snooping;
• and
• circuitry operable for receiving a plurality of sets of indications from said snooping logic unit regarding said plurality of coherency granules, wherein each set of indications is associated with a particular coherency granule within said plurality of coherency granules.

A system, comprising:

• means for receiving a request to access a block of data from a master, wherein said block comprises a plurality of coherency granules, wherein a coherency granule comprises a smallest cache line size of any cache in a system;
• means for issuing a request to a snooping logic unit in a cache in said system to indicate that said request to access said block of data comprising said plurality of coherency granules is available for snooping, wherein said snooping logic unit is configured to monitor a bus for addresses requested by said master, wherein said snooping logic unit performs a snoop of addresses of said plurality of coherency granules;
• and
• means for receiving a plurality of sets of indications from said snooping logic unit regarding said plurality of coherency granules, wherein each set of indications is associated with a particular coherency granule within said plurality of coherency granules.