Patent ID: 7263586
Filing Date: 2007-08-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of operating a multi-cache processing unit in a system with multiple processing units, the method comprising: issuing to multiple cache units of the processing unit, snoops initiated externally with respect to the processing unit; storing snoop addresses in respective queues of the cache units; delaying issuance of the snoop addresses that correspond to an externally initiated snoop at least until the cache units have completed prior pending snoop processing; and supplying a unified response to the system from the processing unit, wherein the unified response is based at least in part on combination of cache responses to externally initiated snoops, wherein the unified response indicates miss if cache responses indicate miss, clean if at least one of the cache responses indicate clean, shared if at least one of the cache responses indicate shared, or dirty if at least one of the cache responses indicate dirty.