Patent ID: 6298417
Filing Date: 2001-10-02
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of deallocating a line of a cache memory, comprising the steps of:copying, in a first line transfer, first line data from a first line of the cache memory to a storeback buffer, the first line transfer responsive to a cache miss associated with the first line of the cache memory;responsive to the first line transfer, requesting a first storeback transfer of the first line data from the storeback buffer to a backing memory;acknowledging the first storeback transfer request and, responsive thereto, initiating the first storeback transfer; andupon verifying the first storeback transfer data as suitable for storing to the backing memory, deallocating the first line of the cache memory and initiating a pending fill of the first line while the first storeback transfer is completing; wherein the storeback buffer includes first and second segments and wherein the first storeback transfer includes a first portion comprising copying the first segment and a second portion comprising copying the second segment; and copying, in a second line transfer, second line data from a second cache line to the storeback buffer, the second line transfer responsive to the first portion of the storeback transfer wherein the second line transfer begins before completion of the first store back transfer.