Patent ID: 7330934

Claim:
A method of operating a cache in a computer system, the cache storing items associated with addresses in memory in the computer system, the cache having at least one way with a tag array and a data array, with information in the tag array indicating, for an address in memory applied to the cache, whether information in the data array is associated with the applied address, with the data array implemented as an array of cells connected to lines and a plurality of sense amps, with a sense amp being connectable to each of the lines, comprising, for each of the at least one way: a) making a determination, based on information stored in the tag array, whether an item associated with the applied address is stored in the way in the data array; b) selectively altering the state of at least one line in the way in the data array, that at least one line being associated with the applied address, the selective altering placing each of the at least one line in a state based on a value stored in at least one cell of the way of the data array at the applied address and the selective altering starting before completing the determination; and c) after completing the determination, when the information indicates an item is stored in the way in the data array, selectively enabling at least one sense amp associated with the at least one line in the way in the data array when it is determined that an item associated with the applied address is stored in the way.