Patent Abstract:
A write-through cache scheme is created. A store data command is sent to a cache line of a cache array from a processing unit. It is then determined whether the address of the store data is valid, wherein the original data from the store&#39;s address has been previously loaded into the cache. A write-through command is sent to a system bus as a function of whether the address of the store data is valid. The bus controller is employed to sense the write-through command. If the write-through command is sensed, a clean command is generated by the bus controller. If the write-through command is sensed, the store data is written into the cache array, and the data is marked as modified. If the write-through command is sensed, the clean command is sent onto the system bus by the bus controller, thereby causing modified data to be written to memory.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to bus controllers and, more particularly, to use of a write-through command with a bus controller. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In modern computer architecture, there is a design arrangement referred to as a write-through system. This is when a computing system has the property that whenever the processor stores or modifies information in a local cache, it then immediately modifies the information in a system memory and all other caches in the system in order to maintain coherent data. 
         [0003]    In conventional technologies, software operating on a processor issues the command to modify data in the local cache. After modification of the cache, software pushes a copy of the newly written data out to the system over a system bus, using alternate commands known as a DCBF (FLUSH) or DCBST (DCLEAN). 
         [0004]    Generally, the DCBF/Flush is a software instruction/coherent bus operation sent to all processors in the system. Any cache holding a cache line with that address will have to invalidate that line Also, if the data in the cache is non-coherent with memory it will be pushed out to main memory. DCBF is an instruction initiated by software. Flush is a coherent bus command. DCBF causes a Flush on the bus. DCBST/DCLEAN is a software instruction/coherent bus operation sent to all processors in the system. Any cache holding a cache line with the address referenced by the DCBST/DCLEAN that has data that is non-coherent with memory will push the data out to main memory. The cache will still hold the line valid after the data is pushed. DCBST is an instruction initiated by software. DCLEAN is a coherent bus command. DCBST causes a DCLEAN on the bus. 
         [0005]    However, problems exist with the use of software to generate the coherency commands that are passed onto the bus (DCBF and DCBST). Employment of software uses processing cycles within the processor, which could better be directed to other projects. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a need to do a write-through system-wide command without software in such a manner that addresses at least some of the problems associated with conventional system-wide write commands. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention provides for creating a write-through cache scheme. A store data command is sent to a cache line of a cache array from a processing unit. It is then determined whether the address of the store data is valid, wherein the original data from the store&#39;s address has been previously loaded into the cache. A write-through command is sent to a system bus as a function of whether the address of the store data is valid. The bus controller is employed to sense the write-through command. If the write-through command is sensed, a clean command is generated by the bus controller. If the write-through command is sensed, the store data is written into the cache array, and the data is marked as modified. If the write-through command is sensed, the clean command is sent onto the system bus by the bus controller, thereby causing modified data to be written to memory. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  schematically depicts a system for generating a coherent bus command; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  illustrates a method for generating a coherent bus command. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning network communications, electromagnetic signaling techniques, and the like, have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
         [0012]    In the remainder of this description, a processing unit (PU) may be a sole processor of computations in a device. In such a situation, the PU is typically referred to as an MPU (main processing unit). The processing unit may also be one of many processing units that share the computational load according to some methodology or algorithm developed for a given computational device. For the remainder of this description, all references to processors shall use the term MPU whether the MPU is the sole computational element in the device or whether the MPU is sharing the computational element with other MPUs, unless otherwise indicated. 
         [0013]    It is further noted that, unless indicated otherwise, all functions described herein may be performed in either hardware or software, or some combination thereof. In a preferred embodiment, however, the functions are performed by a processor, such as a computer or an electronic data processor, in accordance with code, such as computer program code, software, and/or integrated circuits that are coded to perform such functions, unless indicated otherwise. 
         [0014]    Turning to  FIG. 1 , disclosed is a system  100  for performing write-through commands over a bus. Generally, the present invention provides for the above two commands (DCBF or DCBST) generated by software to be replaced by a DCLEAN being generated in hardware. In  FIG. 1 , a processor  105  of a system  100  decides that a data line in a local cache  140  is to be modified. The processor  105  then sends a store data command from a processing core  110  to the cache  140  of a cache complex  120 . 
         [0015]    Before the processor  105  can modify the cache  140  of a cache complex  120 , it has to have sole ownership of the line. This is done in one of two ways. First, if the cache directory  130  indicates the cache  140  does not contain the cache line, a Read With Intent To Modify (RWITM) is sent to the bus. Second, if the cache directory  130  indicates the cache  140  does contain the cache line (that is, the cache line is valid), the processor  105  must send a DCLAIM to invalidate the line in any other processors in system  100 . DCLAIM is a coherent bus operation sent to all processors in the system when one cache is trying to convert a line in its cache from a shared state to a modified state (i.e. the data will be written to a new value). It causes all other caches that have the line to mark it invalid. 
         [0016]    This allows processor  105  to have sole ownership of the cache line. Then the store data command from the processing core  110  updates the cache directory  130  with the fact that cache  140  has been modified. The cache directory  130  is used to tell if the cache line is valid and if it has been modified. 
         [0017]    As this is a modification to the local cache, a write-through command must be performed. In other words, the rest of the system  100 , the other processors and a main memory  190 , have to be brought into coherency with the data line in the cache  140 . 
         [0018]    The coherency control of generating the write-through commands occurs within a bus controller  150 . Within the bus controller  150  two things happen. First, a memory range  160  is within the bus controller  150 . The memory range  160  contains a set of addresses that are indicated as having a write-through requirement. In other words, only the addresses contained in this memory range will be marked as having a write-through requirement. Secondly, a monitor  170 , such as a state machine (that is, the state machine monitors for certain specific inputs) is employed within the bus controller  150 . The monitor  170  looks for two different commands that indicate the cache will be modified in processor  105 . 
         [0019]    The commands generated by the monitor  170  handle the write-through requirement for maintaining data coherency. These commands are sent out on the system bus  180  and monitored by all other processors in the system  100 . Each processor  105  has a bus controller  150  that both sends and receives these commands. This allows all caches in the system  100  to maintain coherency with each other and the main memory  190 . One such command is a DCLAIM command. Generally, DCLAIM is a bus command that indicates that a cache is trying to convert a line in its cache from a shared state to a modified state (that is, data in the cache  140  is already valid and will be written to a new value). The DCLAIM command causes all other caches in “other processors” that have the data line corresponding to this address to mark their data lines as invalid. The second command that the monitor  170  sends and receives is a RWITM (Read With Intent to Modify.). Generally, the RWITM is a coherent bus command that indicates that a cache is trying to load a cache line that it does not hold valid so that it can modify it with store data. The command is sent to all processors and causes them to invalidate this cache line in their cache if they have it valid. 
         [0020]    The monitor/state machine  170  checks for these two commands (DCLAIM or RWITM) that were initiated by a store generated by software in the processing core  110 . The processing core  110  generates a store. The RWITM and DCLAIM are bus commands generated by hardware in response to the store. Typically, it does not matter how these commands get to the bus as long as the two generic commands are seen on the bus. If either of these commands were detected, then the bus controller  150 , in hardware, generates a DCLEAN command. The data is only pushed to memory if the cache holds non-coherent memory (this will only apply to the processor that has just done the store). Other processors in the system should no longer hold the cache line valid because the two bus commands (DCLAIM and RWITM) that initiated the whole process both invalidate the line in all other caches in the system. This command is sent out by the bus controller  150  hardware onto the system bus  180 , which is then carried to other processors and main memory  190 . 
         [0021]    By implementing a monitor/state machine  170  capable of generating the DCLAIM and RWITM commands automatically, software is no longer required to force write-through coherency of data on its own. This allows the processor to do other useful work while the monitor/state machine  170  takes care of maintaining write-through coherency automatically. 
         [0022]    The memory range  160  is an optional component that allows software to be more specific about what address ranges of memory have the write-through coherency requirement. The processor  105  provides a means of setting this memory range via software instructions. The memory range  160  acts as filter on the memory addresses seen by the monitor/state machine  170 . If the memory address is within range, the monitor/state machine  170  will maintain the write-through coherency property for the memory address without any further software assistance. If the memory address falls outside of the range, then the monitor state machine  170  ignores the memory address and software must assume responsibility for any write-through coherency on this memory address. 
         [0023]    Turning now to  FIG. 2 , illustrated is a method  200  for using the bus controller  150 ; demonstrating hardware to issue a DCLEAN command, instead of issuing a DCBST command by software, as occurred in the prior art. In step  210 , a load operation to the cache  140  is issued by the processing core  110 , and according to the cache directory  130 , the information is not found in the cache  140 . Therefore, in step  210 , the cache  140  sends out a load request over the system bus  180 , and receives the requested data back over the bus  180 , perhaps from main memory  190  or perhaps from other processors. The requested data is then stored in the cache  140 , and marked as shared. In a write-through cache system, the cache line from a load cannot be marked in an exclusive state, as any address that can ever be used for a write-through store operation cannot be marked as exclusive. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment, a write-through instruction can be indicated in several ways. One way is by setting a storage control attribute for a page (4 KB block of memory), like the “W” bit in the PowerPC architecture. This is controlled by software and is independent of the memory range. In this embodiment, the memory range is not necessary. There are several ways to indicate a write-through store operation. These indicators are independent of the system  100  or method  200 . For example, another way is to use the memory range  160  identifier coupled into the bus behavior. Either way, as long as the bus controller can read the indications and discern that the store operation should be write-through, then system  100  can generate the bus command (DCLEAN) to maintain coherency with memory. 
         [0025]    In step  220 , a write-through store operation is then performed by the processing core  110 , to the same address as was previously loaded in the cache  140 . Because the cache  140  is marked shared, the cache issues a bus operation, often called a DCLAIM that causes all other caches in the system to invalidate the cache line if they have it. This gives the cache  140  sole ownership of the cache line. This enables the cache  140  to perform the store and still maintain the data integrity of the system  100 . 
         [0026]    Alternatively, in step  230 , a write-through store instruction is issued by the processing core  110  and misses the cache  140 . Because the cache  140  does not hold the desired address, a bus operation is sent to the rest of the system to bring the data into the cache. This operation is termed a “read with Intent to Modify RWITM.” 
         [0027]    In any event, in step  240 , the state machine  170  of the bus controller  150  sees either a DCLAIM or a RWITM, determines that this is from a write-through operation, and then the bus controller  150  sends out a DCLEAN onto the system bus  180 , which is sent to the main memory  190  and to all processors including the one that generated the DCLAIM or RWITM. 
         [0028]    The DCLEAN operation is broadcast to all processors (including processor  105 ) in the system from the bus controller in the form of a snoop command (this is what cache  140  sees). This is done via the system bus  180 . All processors in the system respond to the snoop (including cache  140  which responds by pushing the modified data out to main memory  190 ) and the snoop response is read by the bus controller. 
         [0029]    Finally, in step  250 , the cache  140  also eventually sees the DCLEAN command. The DCLEAN command tells the cache  140  to “push” the modified data to the main memory  190 . However, the cache  140  remains valid, and is taken from the modified state to the shared state. The data in the cache  140  is now coherent with what is in main memory. A DCLAIM command is sent by the cache  140  to claim sole ownership of the cache line BEFORE the store actually modifies the data in cache  140 . This is to maintain data integrity. The DCLEAN is sent on the bus by the bus controller  150  in response to seeing the DCLAIM. The purpose of the DCLEAN is to push the modified data in cache  140  (now incoherent with memory because the cache has received the DCLEAN after the store has update the cache data) out to main memory. 
         [0030]    It is understood that the present invention can take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. The capabilities outlined herein allow for the possibility of a variety of programming models. This disclosure should not be read as preferring any particular programming model, but is instead directed to the underlying mechanisms on which these programming models can be built. 
         [0031]    Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6