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:
Nov. 09, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 10, 1996
Doyle James Heisler, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
James Dean Joseph, Monument, CO (US);
Dion Nickolas Heisler, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Ramtron International Corporation, Colorado Springs, CO (US);
Abstract
The method and apparatus of the current invention relates to an intelligent cache management system for servicing a main memory and a cache. The cache resources are allocated to segments of main memory rows based on a simple or complex allocation process. The complex allocation performs a predictive function allocating scarce resources based on the probability of future use. The apparatus comprises a main memory coupled by a steering unit to a cache. The steering unit controls where in cache a given main memory row segment will be placed. The operation of the steering unit is controlled by an intelligent cache allocation unit. The unit allocates new memory access requests cache locations which are least frequently utilized. Since a given row segment may be placed anywhere in a cache row, the allocation unit performs the additional function of adjusting the column portion of a memory access request to compensate for the placement of the requested segment in the cache. The allocation unit accepts as input hit or miss information from page segment comparators greater than or equal to in number the number of segments of cache.