Software-controlled cache set management

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for managing cache replacement eligibility. A first address register is configured to request an address from an L1 cache. An L1 cache is configured to determine whether a requested address is in the L1 cache and, in response to a determination that a requested address is not in the L1 cache, is further configured to transmit the requested address to a range register coupled to the L1 cache. The range register is configured to generate a class identifier in response to a received requested address and to transmit the requested address and class identifier to a replacement management table coupled to the range register. The replacement management table is configured to generate L2 tag replacement control indicia in response to a received requested address and class identifier. An L2 address register is coupled to the first address register and configured to request an address from an L2 cache. An L2 cache is coupled to the L2 address register and the replacement management table and is configured to determine whether a requested address is in the L2 cache and is further configured to assign replacement eligibility of at least one set of cache lines in the L2 cache in response to received L2 tag replacement control indicia. In response to a determination that a requested address is not in the L2 cache, the L2 cache is further configured to overwrite a cache line within a set of the L2 cache as a function of the replacement eligibility.