Method and apparatus for providing shared caches

摘要

A method and apparatus for providing shared caches. A cache memory system may be operated in a first mode or a second mode. When the cache memory system is operated in the first mode, a first cache and a second cache of the cache memory system may be operated independently. When the cache memory system is operated in the second mode, the first cache and the second cache may be shared. In the second mode, at least one bit may overlap tag bits and set index bits among bits of a memory address.

主权项

1. A method of providing data of a memory address, comprising:
determining whether the data is present in a first cache or a second cache of a cache memory system; reading the data from the first cache or the second cache in response to the data being determined to be present in the first cache or the second cache, respectively; in response to the cache memory system being operated in a first mode, using the first cache and the second cache independently; in response to the cache memory system being operated in a second mode, sharing the first cache and the second cache; and in response to the cache memory system alternating from the first mode to the second mode, maintaining a number of tag bits to be consistant and increasing a number of set index bits by one, wherein bits representing the memory address comprise at least one bit overlapping between the tag bits and the set index bits, and tag data is a fixed size.