Patent ID: 7392346

Claim:
A method for updating a memory, said memory comprising multiple locations for data storage, said memory locations being groupable into commonly accessible groups, said method comprising: providing a control array for said memory, said control array being associated with a first predetermined type of update operation, and having a respective local indicator for each of said commonly accessible groups of memory locations; monitoring an instruction stream to said memory for a current memory operation and a set of groups upon which said current operation is to be performed; if a type of said current memory operation comprises said predetermined type, deferring said current operation and updating said control array; if said type of said current operation comprises an operation other than said first predetermined type: determining from the control array a state of the respective local indicator of each group of said set, and performing said current operation upon each group of said set in accordance with said state of said respective local indicator of said group; and if said current memory operation comprises said predetermined memory operation and a number of groups of said set is less than a predetermined threshold, performing said current operation upon each group of said set.