Robert Baonian Hu

US Patent:

20140095800, Apr 3, 2014

Filed:

Sep 28, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/629865

Inventors:

- Cupertino CA, US
Shinye Shiu - Los Altos CA, US
James Wang - Vista CA, US
Robert Hu - Saratoga CA, US

Assignee:

APPLE INC. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 12/08

US Classification:

711135, 711E12022

Abstract:

Methods and apparatuses for releasing the sticky state of cache lines for one or more group IDs. A sticky removal engine walks through the tag memory of a system cache looking for matches with a first group ID which is clearing its cache lines from the system cache. The engine clears the sticky state of each cache line belonging to the first group ID. If the engine receives a release request for a second group ID, the engine records the current index to log its progress through the tag memory. Then, the engine continues its walk through the tag memory looking for matches with either the first or second group ID. The engine wraps around to the start of the tag memory and continues its walk until reaching the recorded index for the second group ID.