Patent ID: 8874853
Filing Date: 2014-10-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of determining whether to globally broadcast a memory request in a computing system of the type that includes a plurality of nodes, wherein each node includes a plurality of processing units, the method comprising, in a first node among the plurality of nodes: in response to a first memory request, updating broadcast prediction data for a cache line associated with the first memory request within a hardware-based broadcast prediction data structure in turn associated with a first processing unit among the plurality of processing units, the broadcast prediction data for the cache line including data associated with a history of ownership of the cache line, wherein updating the broadcast prediction data for the cache line associated with the first memory request includes updating the broadcast prediction data for the cache line to indicate that the cache line is in one of at least three states; and in response to a second memory request that is associated with the cache line, accessing the broadcast prediction data structure and determining whether to perform an early broadcast of the second memory request to a second node among the plurality of nodes based on broadcast prediction data within the broadcast prediction data structure.