Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Norman Goldstein

Ron Bercovich

Odi Dahan

Yehuda Nowogrodski

Yuval Kfir

A device and a method for fetching instructions. The device includes a processor adapted to execute instructions; a high level memory unit adapted to store instructions; a direct memory access (DMA) controller that is controlled by the processor; an instruction cache that includes a first input port and a second input port; wherein the instruction cache is adapted to provide instructions to the processor in response to read requests that are generated by the processor and received via the first input port; wherein the instruction cache is further adapted to fetch instructions from a high level memory unit in response to read requests, generated by the DMA controller and received via the second input port.

Device and method for fetching instructions

A device that includes multiple processors that are connected to multiple level-one cache units. The device also includes a multi-port high-level cache unit that includes a first modular interconnect, a second modular interconnect, multiple high-level cache paths; whereas the multiple high-level cache paths comprise multiple concurrently accessible interleaved high-level cache units. Conveniently, the device also includes at least one non-cacheable path. A method for retrieving information from a cache that includes: concurrently receiving, by a first modular interconnect of a multiple-port high-level cache unit, requests to retrieve information. The method is characterized by providing information from at least two paths out of multiple high-level cache paths if at least two high-level cache hit occurs, and providing information via a second modular interconnect if a high-level cache miss occurs.

Growing community of inventors

Ariel, Israel

Norman Goldstein