Method and apparatus for address space translation using a TLB

摘要

A method and a system for address space translation. The present invention is implemented on a computer system having a microprocessor with a translation look aside buffer (TLB). The address space translation system of the present invention translates an emulated virtual address space into a physical address space. The system receives a virtual address from a process running on the system. The system compares the TLB with the virtual page number of the virtual address and returns a physical page number from the TLB when there is a match in the TLB with the virtual page number. When there is not a match, the system determines whether the virtual address is an emulated virtual address or a native virtual address. If the virtual address is an emulated virtual address, the system translates the emulated virtual address to a corresponding physical address. The system then stores the virtual page number from the emulated virtual address and the corresponding physical page number in the TLB.