Patent ID: 7159095

Claim:
A method of storing an effective address (EA) in an effective to real address translation (ERAT) table supporting multiple page sizes including a base page size, wherein the ERAT table comprises a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of: adding a plurality of page size indicator (PSI) fields to each entry of the ERAT table, wherein a PSI field is added for each unique page size, including the base page size, wherein the PSI fields of each entry are used to store values that collectively specify either: (i) one of the supported page sizes, or (ii) that an effective address stored in the same entry of the ERAT table does not need translation, and wherein at least one combination of the values of the PSI fields of each entry specifies that the effective address stored in the same entry does not need translation; storing the EA in one of the entries of the ERAT table; and setting the values of the PSI fields of the one of the entries of the ERAT table to specify either: (i) a page size of the EA, wherein the page size of the EA is one of the supported page sizes, or (ii) that the EA does not need translation.