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. 22, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 07, 2000
Yu-chung C. Liao, Austin, TX (US);
Peter A. Sandon, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Howard Cheng, Redmond, WA (US);
Peter Hsu, Fremont, CA (US);
Yu-Chung C. Liao, Austin, TX (US);
Peter A. Sandon, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Howard Cheng, Redmond, WA (US);
Peter Hsu, Fremont, CA (US);
Nintendo Co., Ltd., Kyoto, JP;
Abstract
A microprocessor including a control unit and a cache connected with the control unit for storing data to be used by the control, wherein the cache is selectively configurable as either a single cache or as a partitioned cache having a locked cache portion and a normal cache portion. The normal cache portion is controlled by a hardware implemented automatic replacement process. The locked cache portion is locked so that the automatic replacement process cannot modify the contents of the locked cache. An instruction is provided in the instruction set that enables software to selectively allocate lines in the locked cache portion to correspond to locations in an external memory, thereby enabling the locked cache portion to be completely managed by software.