Patent Abstract:
The level one memory controller maintains a local copy of the cacheability bit of each memory attribute register. The level two memory controller is the initiator of all configuration read/write requests from the CPU. Whenever a configuration write is made to a memory attribute register, the level one memory controller updates its local copy of the memory attribute register.

Full Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e)(1) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/387,283 filed Sep. 28, 2010. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The technical field of this invention is memory control in multilevel cache circuits. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Prior art devices implemented a set of memory mapped control registers called memory attribute registers. These registers defined the cacheability of external addresses in the Level one and Level two caches inside the memory system. The entire external address space was controlled by 256 memory address registers. Each memory attribute register defined the cacheability of a corresponding portion of the address space. 
         [0004]    In prior art devices, the memory attribute registers were not visible in the level one data cache controller. Due to this, the following performance optimizations that level one data cache controller could have implemented were not possible: merge writes for external addresses based on the cacheability of accesses; optimize some of its cache state machines based on early knowledge of cacheability; and the level one data cache controller must generates and send victims due to read accesses even to non-cacheable external addresses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The level one memory controller maintains a local copy of the cacheability bit of each memory attribute register. The level two memory controller is the initiator of all configuration read/write requests from the CPU. Whenever a configuration write is made to a memory attribute register, the level one memory controller updates its local copy of the memory attribute register. The level one memory controller uses the local copy of the cacheability bit to optimize the memory system performance in the following cases: merge writes for external addresses based on the cacheability of accesses; optimize some of its cache state machines based on early knowledge of cacheability; and not generating and sending victims for read accesses to non-cacheable external addresses 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    These and other aspects of this invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates the organization of a typical digital signal processor to which this invention is applicable (prior art); 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates details of a very long instruction word digital signal processor core suitable for use in  FIG. 1  (prior art) ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates the pipeline stages of the very long instruction word digital signal processor core illustrated in  FIG. 2  (prior art); 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates the instruction syntax of the very long instruction word digital signal processor core illustrated in  FIG. 2  (prior art); 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a computing system including a local memory arbiter according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a further view of the digital signal processor system of this invention illustrating the various cache controllers; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  illustrates the relationship between memory attribute registers and the external memory map; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  illustrates a typical memory attribute register corresponding to a preferred embodiment this invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  illustrates the sequence when MAR registers  631  are updated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates the organization of a typical digital signal processor system  100  to which this invention is applicable (prior art). Digital signal processor system  100  includes central processing unit core  110 . Central processing unit core  110  includes the data processing portion of digital signal processor system  100 . Central processing unit core  110  could be constructed as known in the art and would typically includes a register file, an integer arithmetic logic unit, an integer multiplier and program flow control units. An example of an appropriate central processing unit core is described below in conjunction with  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
         [0017]    Digital signal processor system  100  includes a number of cache memories.  FIG. 1  illustrates a pair of first level caches. Level one instruction cache (L1I)  121  stores instructions used by central processing unit core  110 . Central processing unit core  110  first attempts to access any instruction from level one instruction cache  121 . Level one data cache (L1D)  123  stores data used by central processing unit core  110 . Central processing unit core  110  first attempts to access any required data from level one data cache  123 . The two level one caches are backed by a level two unified cache (L2)  130 . In the event of a cache miss to level one instruction cache  121  or to level one data cache  123 , the requested instruction or data is sought from level two unified cache  130 . If the requested instruction or data is stored in level two unified cache  130 , then it is supplied to the requesting level one cache for supply to central processing unit core  110 . As is known in the art, the requested instruction or data may be simultaneously supplied to both the requesting cache and central processing unit core  110  to speed use. 
         [0018]    Level two unified cache  130  is further coupled to higher level memory systems. Digital signal processor system  100  may be a part of a multiprocessor system. The other processors of the multiprocessor system are coupled to level two unified cache  130  via a transfer request bus  141  and a data transfer bus  143 . A direct memory access unit  150  provides the connection of digital signal processor system  100  to external memory  161  and external peripherals  169 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates several data/instruction movements within the digital signal processor system  100 . These include: (1) instructions move from L2 cache  130  to L1I cache  121  to fill in response to a L1I cache miss; (2) data moves from L2 cache  130  to L1D cache  123  to fill in response to a L1D cache miss; (3) data moves from L1D cache  123  to L2 cache  130  in response to a write miss in L1D cache  123 , in response to a L1D cache  123  victim eviction and in response to a snoop from L2 cache  130 ; (4) data moves from external memory  161  to L2 cache  130  to fill in response to L2 cache miss or a direct memory access (DMA) data transfer into L2 cache  130 ; (5) data moves from L2 cache  130  to external memory  161  in response to a L2 cache victim eviction or writeback and in response to a DMA transfer out of L2 cache  130 ; (6) data moves from peripherals  169  to L2 cache  130  in response to a DMA transfer into L2 cache  130 ; and (7) data moves from L2 cache  130  to peripherals  169  is response to a DMA transfer out of L2 cache  130 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating details of a digital signal processor integrated circuit  200  suitable but not essential for use in this invention (prior art). The digital signal processor integrated circuit  200  includes central processing unit  1 , which is a 32-bit eight-way VLIW pipelined processor. Central processing unit  1  is coupled to level one instruction cache  121  included in digital signal processor integrated circuit  200 . Digital signal processor integrated circuit  200  also includes level one data cache  123 . Digital signal processor integrated circuit  200  also includes peripherals  4  to  9 . These peripherals preferably include an external memory interface (EMIF)  4  and a direct memory access (DMA) controller  5 . External memory interface (EMIF)  4  preferably supports access to supports synchronous and asynchronous SRAM and synchronous DRAM. Direct memory access (DMA) controller  5  preferably provides 2-channel auto-boot loading direct memory access. These peripherals include power-down logic  6 . Power-down logic  6  preferably can halt central processing unit activity, peripheral activity, and phase lock loop (PLL) clock synchronization activity to reduce power consumption. These peripherals also include host ports  7 , serial ports  8  and programmable timers  9 . 
         [0021]    Central processing unit  1  has a 32-bit, byte addressable address space. Internal memory on the same integrated circuit is preferably organized in a data space including level one data cache  123  and a program space including level one instruction cache  121 . When off-chip memory is used, preferably these two spaces are unified into a single memory space via the external memory interface (EMIF)  4 . 
         [0022]    Level one data cache  123  may be internally accessed by central processing unit  1  via two internal ports  3   a  and  3   b . Each internal port  3   a  and  3   b  preferably has 32 bits of data and a 32-bit byte address reach. Level one instruction cache  121  may be internally accessed by central processing unit  1  via a single port  2   a . Port  2   a  of level one instruction cache  121  preferably has an instruction-fetch width of 256 bits and a 30-bit word (four bytes) address, equivalent to a 32-bit byte address. 
         [0023]    Central processing unit  1  includes program fetch unit  10 , instruction dispatch unit  11 , instruction decode unit  12  and two data paths  20  and  30 . First data path  20  includes four functional units designated L 1  unit  22 , S 1  unit  23 , M 1  unit  24  and D 1  unit  25  and 16 32-bit A registers forming register file  21 . Second data path  30  likewise includes four functional units designated L 2  unit  32 , S 2  unit  33 , M 2  unit  34  and D 2  unit  35  and 16 32-bit B registers forming register file  31 . The functional units of each data path access the corresponding register file for their operands. There are two cross paths  27  and  37  permitting access to one register in the opposite register file each pipeline stage. Central processing unit  1  includes control registers  13 , control logic  14 , and test logic  15 , emulation logic  16  and interrupt logic  17 . 
         [0024]    Program fetch unit  10 , instruction dispatch unit  11  and instruction decode unit  12  recall instructions from level one instruction cache  121  and deliver up to eight 32-bit instructions to the functional units every instruction cycle. Processing occurs simultaneously in each of the two data paths  20  and  30 . As previously described each data path has four corresponding functional units (L, S, M and D) and a corresponding register file containing 16 32-bit registers. Each functional unit is controlled by a 32-bit instruction. The data paths are further described below. A control register file  13  provides the means to configure and control various processor operations. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates the pipeline stages  300  of digital signal processor core  110  (prior art). These pipeline stages are divided into three groups: fetch group  310 ; decode group  320 ; and execute group  330 . All instructions in the instruction set flow through the fetch, decode, and execute stages of the pipeline. Fetch group  310  has four phases for all instructions, and decode group  320  has two phases for all instructions. Execute group  330  requires a varying number of phases depending on the type of instruction. 
         [0026]    The fetch phases of the fetch group  310  are: Program address generate phase  311  (PG); Program address send phase  312  (PS); Program access ready wait stage  313  (PW); and Program fetch packet receive stage  314  (PR). Digital signal processor core  110  uses a fetch packet (FP) of eight instructions. All eight of the instructions proceed through fetch group  310  together. During PG phase  311 , the program address is generated in program fetch unit  10 . During PS phase  312 , this program address is sent to memory. During PW phase  313 , the memory read occurs. Finally during PR phase  314 , the fetch packet is received at CPU  1 . 
         [0027]    The decode phases of decode group  320  are: Instruction dispatch (DP)  321 ; and Instruction decode (DC)  322 . During the DP phase  321 , the fetch packets are split into execute packets. Execute packets consist of one or more instructions which are coded to execute in parallel. During DP phase  322 , the instructions in an execute packet are assigned to the appropriate functional units. Also during DC phase  322 , the source registers, destination registers and associated paths are decoded for the execution of the instructions in the respective functional units. 
         [0028]    The execute phases of the execute group  330  are: Execute  1  (E 1 )  331 ; Execute  2  (E 2 )  332 ; Execute  3  (E 3 )  333 ; Execute  4  (E 4 )  334 ; and Execute  5  (E 5 )  335 . Different types of instructions require different numbers of these phases to complete. These phases of the pipeline play an important role in understanding the device state at CPU cycle boundaries. 
         [0029]    During E 1  phase  331 , the conditions for the instructions are evaluated and operands are read for all instruction types. For load and store instructions, address generation is performed and address modifications are written to a register file. For branch instructions, branch fetch packet in PG phase  311  is affected. For all single-cycle instructions, the results are written to a register file. All single-cycle instructions complete during the E 1  phase  331 . 
         [0030]    During the E 2  phase  332 , for load instructions, the address is sent to memory. For store instructions, the address and data are sent to memory. Single-cycle instructions that saturate results set the SAT bit in the control status register (CSR) if saturation occurs. For single cycle 16 by 16 multiply instructions, the results are written to a register file. For M unit non-multiply instructions, the results are written to a register file. All ordinary multiply unit instructions complete during E 2  phase  322 . 
         [0031]    During E 3  phase  333 , data memory accesses are performed. Any multiply instruction that saturates results sets the SAT bit in the control status register (CSR) if saturation occurs. Store instructions complete during the E 3  phase  333 . 
         [0032]    During E 4  phase  334 , for load instructions, data is brought to the CPU boundary. For multiply extension instructions, the results are written to a register file. Multiply extension instructions complete during the E 4  phase  334 . 
         [0033]    During E 5  phase  335 , load instructions write data into a register. Load instructions complete during the E 5  phase  335 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of the instruction coding of instructions used by digital signal processor core  110  (prior art). Each instruction consists of 32 bits and controls the operation of one of the eight functional units. The bit fields are defined as follows. The creg field (bits  29  to  31 ) is the conditional register field. These bits identify whether the instruction is conditional and identify the predicate register. The z bit (bit  28 ) indicates whether the predication is based upon zero or not zero in the predicate register. If z=1, the test is for equality with zero. If z=0, the test is for nonzero. The case of creg=0 and z=0 is treated as always true to allow unconditional instruction execution. The creg field is encoded in the instruction opcode as shown in Table 1. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Conditional Register 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 creg 
                 z 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 31 
                 30 
                 29 
                 28 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Unconditional 
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
               
               
                   
                 Reserved 
                 0 
                 0 
                 0 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                 B0 
                 0 
                 0 
                 1 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 B1 
                 0 
                 1 
                 0 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 B2 
                 0 
                 1 
                 1 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 A1 
                 1 
                 0 
                 0 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 A2 
                 1 
                 0 
                 1 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 A0 
                 1 
                 1 
                 0 
                 z 
               
               
                   
                 Reserved 
                 1 
                 1 
                 1 
                 x 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Note that “z” in the z bit column refers to the zero/not zero comparison selection noted above and “x” is a don&#39;t care state. This coding can only specify a subset of the 32 registers in each register file as predicate registers. This selection was made to preserve bits in the instruction coding. 
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0035]    The dst field (bits  23  to  27 ) specifies one of the 32 registers in the corresponding register file as the destination of the instruction results. 
         [0036]    The scr2 field (bits  18  to  22 ) specifies one of the 32 registers in the corresponding register file as the second source operand. 
         [0037]    The scr1/cst field (bits  13  to  17 ) has several meanings depending on the instruction opcode field (bits  3  to  12 ). The first meaning specifies one of the 32 registers of the corresponding register file as the first operand. The second meaning is a 5-bit immediate constant. Depending on the instruction type, this is treated as an unsigned integer and zero extended to 32 bits or is treated as a signed integer and sign extended to 32 bits. Lastly, this field can specify one of the 32 registers in the opposite register file if the instruction invokes one of the register file cross paths  27  or  37 . 
         [0038]    The opcode field (bits  3  to  12 ) specifies the type of instruction and designates appropriate instruction options. A detailed explanation of this field is beyond the scope of this invention except for the instruction options detailed below. 
         [0039]    The s bit (bit  1 ) designates the data path  20  or  30 . If s=0, then data path  20  is selected. This limits the functional unit to L 1  unit  22 , S 1  unit  23 , M 1  unit  24  and D 1  unit  25  and the corresponding register file A  21 . Similarly, s=1 selects data path  20  limiting the functional unit to L 2  unit  32 , S 2  unit  33 , M 2  unit  34  and D 2  unit  35  and the corresponding register file B  31 . 
         [0040]    The p bit (bit  0 ) marks the execute packets. The p-bit determines whether the instruction executes in parallel with the following instruction. The p-bits are scanned from lower to higher address. If p=1 for the current instruction, then the next instruction executes in parallel with the current instruction. If p=0 for the current instruction, then the next instruction executes in the cycle after the current instruction. All instructions executing in parallel constitute an execute packet. An execute packet can contain up to eight instructions. Each instruction in an execute packet must use a different functional unit. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating a computing system including a local memory arbiter according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 5  illustrates system on a chip (SoC)  500 . SoC  500  includes one or more DSP cores  510 , SRAM/Caches  520  and shared memory  530 . SoC  500  is preferably formed on a common semiconductor substrate. These elements can also be implemented in separate substrates, circuit boards and packages. For example shared memory  530  could be implemented in a separate semiconductor substrate.  FIG. 5  illustrates four DSP cores  510 , but SoC  500  may include fewer or more DSP cores  510 . 
         [0042]    Each DSP core  510  preferably includes a level one data cache such as L1 SRAM/cache  512 . In the preferred embodiment each L1 SRAM/cache  512  may be configured with selected amounts of memory directly accessible by the corresponding DSP core  510  (SRAM) and data cache. Each DSP core  510  has a corresponding level two combined cache L2 SRAM/cache  520 . As with L1 SRAM/cache  512 , each L2 SRAM/cache  520  is preferably configurable with selected amounts of directly accessible memory (SRAM) and data cache. Each L2 SRAM/cache  520  includes a prefetch unit  522 . Each prefetch unit  522  prefetchs data for the corresponding L2 SRAM/cache  520  based upon anticipating the needs of the corresponding DSP core  510 . Each DSP core  510  is further coupled to shared memory  530 . Shared memory  530  is usually slower and typically less expensive memory than L2 SRAM/cache  520  or L1 SRAM/cache  510 . Shared memory  530  typically stores program and data information shared between the DSP cores  510 . 
         [0043]    In various embodiments, each DSP core  510  includes a corresponding local memory arbiter  524  for reordering memory commands in accordance with a set of reordering rules. Each local memory arbiter  524  arbitrates and schedules memory requests from differing streams at a local level before sending the memory requests to central memory arbiter  534 . A local memory arbiter  524  may arbitrate between more than one DSP core  510 . Central memory arbiter  534  controls memory accesses for shared memory  530  that are generated by differing DSP cores  510  that do not share a common local memory arbiter  524 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  is a further view of the digital signal processor system  100  of this invention. CPU  110  is bidirectionally connected to L1I cache  121  and L1D cache  123 . L1I cache  121  and L1D cache  123  are shown together because they are at the same level in the memory hierarchy. These level one caches are bidirectionally connected to L2  130 . L2 cache  130  is in turn bidirectionally connected to external memory  161  and peripherals  169 . External memory  161  and peripherals  169  are shown together because they are at the same level in the memory hierarchy. Data transfers into and out of L1D cache  123  is controlled by data memory controller (DMC)  610 . Data transfers into and out of L1I cache  121  is controlled by program memory controller (PMC)  620 . Data transfers into and out of L2  130  including both cache and directly addressable memory (SRAM) are controlled by unified memory controller (UMC)  630 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  illustrates further details of DMC  610  and UMC  630 . UMC  630  includes memory attribute registers  631 . These will be further described below. DMC  610  the PC bits of memory attribute registers  611 . These are copies of the PC bits of memory attribute registers  631  stores in UMC  630 . 
         [0046]    The type of access to external memory permitted is controlled by a set of memory attribute registers (MAR). Each memory attribute register stores data indicating the permitted accesses for a corresponding address range within the external memory map. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  illustrates the relationship between memory attribute registers and the external memory map. Memory attribute registers  710  includes plural registers  711  to  718 . Each memory attribute register  711  to  718  controls memory access to a corresponding memory area  721  to  728  of memory map  720 . The prior art generally divides memory map  720  into a number of areas  721  to  728  equal to an integral power of 2 (2 N , where N is an integer). This division implies a similar number of memory attribute registers  711  to  718  (2 N ). Typically each memory attribute register stores data for similarly sized portions of memory map  720 . Thus areas  721  to  728  are typically equal in size. The 2 N  number and the equal size areas are not required. The essential requirement is that a unique, single memory attribute register corresponds to each address of the memory map. 
         [0048]    The external memory access controller uses memory attributes registers  710  on all memory accesses. The address of the memory access identifies one of memory attribute registers  711  to  718  corresponding to that access. The external memory access controller accesses data stored in that corresponding memory attribute register  711  to  718 . The external memory access controller performs the requested memory access according to the memory accesses permitted by the memory access data. 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  illustrates a typical memory attribute register  711  corresponding to a preferred embodiment this invention. Memory attribute register  711  includes 32 bits. Bits  4  to  32  are reserved and not used in this preferred embodiment. In a practical application of this invention these bits need not be physically implemented. Bit  0  is the Permit Caching (PC) bit. If PC is 1, then caching of the corresponding area of memory  720  in level one instruction cache  121 , level one data cache  123  and level two unified cache  130  is permitted. If PC is 0, then caching is not permitted. Bit  1  is the Write Through Enable (WTE) bit. If WTE is 1, then write-through is enabled. If WTE is 0, then write-through is disabled and only write-back is permitted. Bit  2  is the Permit Cache External (PCX) bit. If the PCX bit is 0, then data of the corresponding address range is not cacheable in an external cache. If the PCX bit is 1, then such data is cacheable in an external cache. Bit  3  is the Permit Prefetch External (PFX) bit. The PFX bit indicates whether a given address range is prefetchable by external prefetching engines. If the PFX bit is 0, then data of the corresponding address range is not prefetchable. If the PFX bit is 1, then such data is prefetchable. 
         [0050]    Table 2 lists the reset values and access privileges of the PFX, PCX, WTE and PC bits. In Table 2: SR means supervisor mode may read; SRW means supervisor mode may read and write; UR means user mode may read; and the indication following the +sign is the default state upon initialization. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 MAR 
                   
                   
                   
                   
               
               
                 Register 
               
               
                 Range 
                 PFX 
                 PCX 
                 WTE 
                 PC 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 0 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
               
               
                   
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +1 
               
               
                 1-11 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
                 SR, 
               
               
                   
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
               
               
                 12-15  
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
               
               
                   
                 UR, +1 
                 UR, +1 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
               
               
                 15-255 
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
                 SRW, 
               
               
                   
                 UR, +1 
                 UR, +1 
                 UR, +0 
                 UR, +0 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0051]    The WTE and PC bits interact as shown below in Table 3. According to the preferred embodiment of this invention an program application running on the data processor can select between Write-back and Write-through at level one data cache  123  according to the state of the corresponding WTE bit. Write-through is not enabled by default. The memory attribute register WTE bit is 0 at reset. The application must write a 1 to the WTE field to enable write-through cache mode. Table 3 lists the valid use modes of the PC bit and the WTE bit. 
         [0000]                                TABLE 3               PC   WTE   L1 Data Cache   L2 Combined Cache                   0   —   non-cacheable   non-cacheable       1   0   write-back L1 Data Cache   allocate only on hits       1   1   write-through L1 Data Cache   write-through on hits                   no allocates on misses                    
If the corresponding PC bit is 0, then caching is not allowed (data non-cacheable). In this case the state of the WTE bit is not relevant. The state of the WTE bit is only relevant if caching is allowed (PC is 1). If the corresponding PC bit is 1 and the WTE bit is 0, then only write-back is permitted in level one data cache  123 . Under these conditions only level two unified cache  130  allocates upon write misses. If the corresponding PC bit is 1 and the WTE bit is 1, write-through is enabled in level one data cache  123 . Under these conditions level two unified cache  130  writes-through on hits and does not allocate on misses.
 
         [0052]    The memory attribute register PC bits (Permit Caching in L1/L2) are visible to DMC  610  via copies  611 . This permits DMC  610  to merge writes for external addresses based on the cacheability of accesses. DMC  610  may also optimize some of its cache state machines based on early knowledge of cacheability. 
         [0053]    DMC  610  may merge writes to external addresses if the MAR.PC bit of registers  611  corresponding to those addresses is 1. DMC  610  must preserve discrete writes to non-cacheable address spaces because the target of these writes may have side effects. In the prior art the level one memory controller did not know whether an external address was cacheable. Thus the level one memory controller never merged external writes. With knowledge of MAR.PC for a given external address, DMC  610  knows when it can safely merge writes. 
         [0054]    DMC  610  may also implement some minor optimizations to its cache state machines based on early knowledge of whether a given read miss is to cacheable or non-cacheable external memory. DMC  610  need not generate and send victims for read accesses to non-cacheable external addresses. 
         [0055]      FIG. 9  illustrates the sequence when MAR registers  631  are updated. The update must follow this following sequence to ensure that all future accesses to the particular address range are not cached in L1 and L2 caches. 
         [0056]    The program must insure that all addresses within the affected range are removed from the L1 and L2 caches. This is accomplished in one of the following ways. Any one of the following operations should be sufficient. Test block  901  determines if L2 cache  130  has at least some cache enabled. If L2 cache  130  includes at least some cache (Yes at test block  901 ), invoke a global writeback-invalidate cache operation or an address block writeback-invalidate of the affected range (block  902 ). Flow then proceeds to block  904  described below. If L2 cache  130  is in all SRAM mode (No at test block  901 ), then invoke an address block writeback-invalidate of the affected range from IAD cache  123  (block  903 ). In the preferred embodiment the block-oriented cache controls can only operate on a 256K-byte address range at a time. Thus multiple block writeback-invalidate operations may be necessary to remove the entire affected address range from the cache. It is then safe to clear the PC bit in the appropriate memory attribute register entry to 0 (block  904 ).

Technology Classification (CPC): 8