System-level cache

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for a system-level cache to allocate cache resources by a way-partitioning process. One of the methods includes maintaining a mapping between partitions and priority levels and allocating primary ways to respective enabled partitions in an order corresponding to the respective priority levels assigned to the enabled partitions.

Description

Background technique [0001] This specification relates to systems having integrated circuit devices. [0002] A system level cache (SLC) is a device that caches data retrieved from memory or data to be stored to the memory of a number of different hardware devices in the system. In other words, different cache lines of the SLC can store data belonging to different hardware devices. [0003] Typically, multiple different hardware devices are different components integrated into a system on chip (SOC). In this specification, a device that provides read requests and write requests through the SLC will be referred to as a client device. [0004] Caching can be used to reduce power consumption by reducing main memory usage. In other words, the main memory and the path to the main memory can be placed in a low power state as long as the client devices can access the data they need in the cache. [0005] Caches are usually organized as collections with multiple ways. The request...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

So, for example, a cache policy may specify that requests from one or more client devices are always stored in four ways, and that cache lines in those four ways cannot be allocated for any other client device

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