Method and apparatus for optimizing the usage of cache memories

A method and apparatus to reduce unnecessary write backs of cached data to a main memory and to optimize the usage of a cache memory tag directory. In one embodiment of the invention, the power consumption of a processor can be saved by eliminating write backs of cache memory lines that has informat...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	Hasenplaugh William C, Steely, Jr. Simon C, Emer Joel S
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	CALCULATING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THIR OWNENERGY USE COMPUTING COUNTING ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS PHYSICS TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A method and apparatus to reduce unnecessary write backs of cached data to a main memory and to optimize the usage of a cache memory tag directory. In one embodiment of the invention, the power consumption of a processor can be saved by eliminating write backs of cache memory lines that has information that has reached its end-of-life. In one embodiment of the invention, when a processing unit is required to clear one or more cache memory lines, it uses a write-zero command to clear the one or more cache memory lines. The processing unit does not perform a write operation to move or pass data values of zero to the one or more cache memory lines. By doing so, it reduces the power consumption of the processing unit.