Preserving cache consistency in a computer system having a plurality of memories with overlapping address ranges

摘要

A means for preserve cache consistency is provided for a system comprising a central processing unit, a first physical memory, a second physical memory for which the address is common to the first physical memory in at least some duplicated address range of the entire physical address, a cache memory, and a memory controller, wherein the first or second physical memory is selected depending on the operation mode. Flag bits are provided in a tag memory of the cache for information identifying the data source. The cache then does not determine a cache hit/miss only based on whether data related to a CPU requested address exists in the cache, but determines whether the source of data requested by the CPU is consistent with the source of data stored in the cache by taking into account information on the operation mode simultaneously sent from the CPU. A cache hit is determined only when such two conditions are met.