Patent ID: 6336167
Filing Date: 2002-01-01
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of maintaining a cache of data units comprising the steps of:maintaining first and second cache stacks, each stack having a plurality of storage locations for storing labels, each said label having an association with a data unit; determining whether a requested label is contained in either the first or second stack; if the requested label is contained in either the first or second stack, refreshing the contents of the first and the second stacks using a Least Recently Used algorithm; if the requested label is not contained in either the first or second stack and the bottom of the second stack is empty, storing the requested label at the top of the second stack and pushing down all labels already in the second stack, and refreshing the contents of the first stack using a Least Recently Used algorithm; and if the requested label is not contained in either the first or second stack and all locations in the second stack are occupied, pushing down all labels already in the second stack at or below a predetermined insertion point and discarding the label previously stored at the bottom of said second stack and then storing the requested label at the predetermined insertion point in the second stack, and refreshing the contents of the first stack using a Least Recently Used algorithm.