Processor and address translating method

A system comprising:

• a main memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the main memory, the processor including an address translation buffer for translating a virtual address to a corresponding physical address, the address translation buffer comprising:
• a random access memory including a first area with a plurality of first entries storing a first plurality of address translation pairs of a virtual address to be searched and a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, each of the first address translation pairs being subjected to a index tag which is a part of the virtual address to be searched, and a second area with a plurality of second entries storing a second plurality of address translation pairs, each of the second address translation pairs being subjected to a whole part of the virtual address to be searched;
• and
• a search unit that searches the first area for an address translation pair by using a index tag included in a virtual address to be translated, and searches the second area for the address translation pair by using a whole part of the virtual address to be translated, wherein
• the search unit starts to search the second area for the address translation pair when the address translation pair is not found in the first area, and the address translation meets a predetermined condition.

An address translating method for a processor including an address translation buffer that comprises a random access memory having a first area with a plurality of first entries storing a first plurality of address translation pairs of a virtual address to be searched and a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, each of the first address translation pairs being subjected to a index tag which is a part of the virtual address to be searched, and a second area with a plurality of second entries storing a second plurality of address translation pairs, each of the second address translation pairs being subjected to a whole part of the virtual address to be searched, the address translating method comprising:

• searching the first area for an address translation pair by using a index tag included in a virtual address to be translated;
• searching the second area for the address translation pair by using a whole part of the virtual address to be translated;
• holding, by a holding unit included in the address translation buffer, a part of the address translation pairs stored in the second area;
• and
• searching the holding unit for the address translation pair corresponding to the virtual address to be translated.

An address translating method for a processor including an address translation buffer that comprises a random access memory having a first area with a plurality of first entries storing a first plurality of address translation pairs of a virtual address to be searched and a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, each of the first address translation pairs being subjected to a index tag which is a part of the virtual address to be searched, and a second area with a plurality of second entries storing a second plurality of address translation pairs, each of the second address translation pairs being subjected to a whole part of the virtual address to be searched, the address translating method comprising:

• searching the first area for an address translation pair by using a index tag included in a virtual address to be translated;
• searching the second area for the address translation pair by using a whole part of the virtual address to be translated;
• and
• starting the search of the second area for the address translation pair when the address translation pair is not found in the first area, and the address translation meets a certain condition.

A processor including an address translation buffer for translating a virtual address to a corresponding physical address, the address translation buffer comprising:

• a random access memory including a first area with a plurality of first entries storing a first plurality of address translation pairs of a virtual address to be searched and a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, each of the first address translation pairs being subjected to a index tag which is a part of the virtual address to be searched, and a second area with a plurality of second entries storing a second plurality of address translation pairs, each of the second address translation pairs being subjected to a whole part of the virtual address to be searched;
• a search unit that searches the first area for an address translation pair by using a index tag included in a virtual address to be translated, and searches the second area for the address translation pair by using a whole part of the virtual address to be translated;
• a holding unit that holds a part of the address translation pairs stored in the second area;
• and
• a second search unit that searches the holding unit for the address translation pair corresponding to the virtual address to be translated.

A processor including an address translation buffer for translating a virtual address to a corresponding physical address, the address translation buffer comprising:

• a random access memory including a first area with a plurality of first entries storing a first plurality of address translation pairs of a virtual address to be searched and a physical address corresponding to the virtual address, each of the first address translation pairs being subjected to a index tag which is a part of the virtual address to be searched, and a second area with a plurality of second entries storing a second plurality of address translation pairs, each of the second address translation pairs being subjected to a whole part of the virtual address to be searched;
• and
• a search unit that searches the first area for an address translation pair by using a index tag included in a virtual address to be translated, and searches the second area for the address translation pair by using a whole part of the virtual address to be translated, wherein
• the search unit starts to search the second area for the address translation pair when the address translation pair is not found in the first area, the address translation meets a predetermined condition.