System and method for improving accelerated graphics port systems

Abstract

A method and system for improving virtual memory performance, especially in the context of data processing systems utilizing the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface standard. In the method and system, a request to access a first virtual memory address, correspondent to a first physical memory location resident within a first page of physical memory, is received. In response to the request to access the first virtual memory address, a Graphics Translation Look Aside Buffer entry is created. In response to a request to access a second virtual memory address, correspondent to a second physical memory address resident within a second physical memory area non-overlapping with the first physical memory page, the second physical memory location is accessed via the Graphics Translation Look Aside Buffer entry. The Graphics Translation Look Aside Buffer entry is constructed such that it translates a number of virtual memory addresses corresponding to a number of physical memory addresses. The construction of the Graphics Translation Look Aside Buffer entry is achieved by translating the first virtual memory address to a first physical memory address, obtaining a size of a contiguous graphics physical memory block containing the first physical memory address, and associating a range of virtual memory addresses with the obtained contiguous graphics physical memory block.