Patent ID: 7870325

Claim:
A cache memory system for making, using VIPT (Virtual Indexed Physical Tagged) architecture, access to a cache memory having (i) a plurality of cache lines each identified by a different virtual index, (ii) a tag array storing therein tag information pieces corresponding one-to-one with physical tags, each of which indicates a physical page including physical blocks of a main memory whose data is stored in the cache lines, and (iii) a data array storing therein data of the physical blocks, the cache memory system comprising: a virtual index obtaining unit operable to obtain, based on a virtual address, virtual indexes of an access-target cache line and one or more cache lines potentially having a cache-aliasing relationship with the access-target cache line; a physical tag obtaining unit operable to obtain a physical tag of a physical page by converting at least part of the virtual address; and a comparing unit operable to compare the physical tag with each of tag information pieces output from the tag array based on the virtual indexes, and determine a cache hit when one of the tag information pieces agrees with the physical tag.