The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 23, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 28, 1995
Mitchell A Bauman, Circle Pines, MN (US);
Donald C Englin, Shoreview, MN (US);
Mark L Balding, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
Unisys Corporation, Blue Bell, PA (US);
Abstract
A cache architecture for a multiprocessor data processing system. The cache architecture includes multiple first-level caches, two second-level caches, and main storage that is addressable by each of the processors. Each first-level cache is dedicated to a respective one of the processors. Each of the second-level caches is coupled to the other second-level cache, coupled to the main storage, and coupled to predetermined ones of the first-level caches. The range of cacheable addresses for both of the second-level caches encompasses the entire address space of the main storage. Each of the second-level caches may be viewed as dedicated for write access to the set of processors associated with the predetermined set of first-level caches, and shared for read access to the other set of processors. The dedicated and shared nature enhances system efficiency. The cache architecture includes coherency control that filters invalidation traffic between the second-level caches. The filtering of invalidation traffic enhances system efficiency and is accomplished by tracking which second-level cache has the most recent version of the cached data.