Abstract: A cache management system employs a replacement policy in a manner that manages redundant accesses to cache elements. The cache management system comprises a cache, a replacement policy state storage and an update control module. The update control module comprises a buffer for storing recent addresses, a comparison unit for comparing a new address with those stored in the recent address buffer, and an update unit which determines whether to update the replacement policy state storage. When an address matches those stored in the recent address buffer, a replacement status update is suppressed.

Abstract: A system (10) translates memory addresses. Processing circuitry (12) provides an effective address to a storage array (14, 16) having a plurality of stored effective addresses, each of the plurality of stored effective addresses having a corresponding pair of a lock bit and a valid bit. An output tag value and a single valid bit are provided to a comparator (18). The lock bit defines one of two predetermined classes of tasks executed by the system. The single valid bit is applicable to both of the two predetermined classes of tasks. The lock bit qualifies the clearing of the single valid bit. The comparator respectively compares the output tag value and the single valid bit with a predetermined effective address and a predetermined bit value. An output hit signal is provided when a match occurs to validate a physical address provided by a physical address array (20).

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to interrupt processing. One embodiment relates to a method for executing an interrupt in a data processing system including fetching a conditional store instruction that is conditional upon a reservation, receiving notice that an interrupt is pending, invalidating a reservation in response to receiving the notice, and processing the interrupt. Invalidating the reservation allows the conditional store instruction to finish in a predetermined amount of time and properly update an architectural state of the processor. Therefore, interrupt latencies (the amount of time between receiving and processing an interrupt) corresponding to the conditional store instruction can be bounded. The method may be used in a single processor or multi-processor data processing system, wherein each processor includes a reservation register.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to interrupt processing. One embodiment relates to a method for executing an interrupt in a data processing system including fetching a conditional store instruction that is conditional upon a reservation, receiving notice that an interrupt is pending, invalidating a reservation in response to receiving the notice, and processing the interrupt. Invalidating the reservation allows the conditional store instruction to finish in a predetermined amount of time and properly update an architectural state of the processor. Therefore, interrupt latencies (the amount of time between receiving and processing an interrupt) corresponding to the conditional store instruction can be bounded. The method may be used in a single processor or multi-processor data processing system, wherein each processor includes a reservation register.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for making copper metal powder from copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective mount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions in said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (C) separating said copper-rich extractant from said copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution; (D) contacting said copper-rich extractant with an effective amount of at least one aqueous stripping solution to transfer copper ions from said extractant to said stripping solution to form a copper-rich stripping solution and a copper-depleted extractant; (E) separating said copper-rich stripping soluti

Abstract: The disclosed data processor (10) dispatches load/store multiple and load/store string instructions to a load/store unit (28) as a sequence of simple load or store instructions. The sequencer unit (18) assigns an entry of a rename buffer (34) to which the load/store unit writes back the data of each simple load instruction. This strategy facilitates early data forwarding for subsequent instructions. Conversely, the sequencer unit supplies a rename buffer tag to the load/store unit if it is not able to supply the operands of a simple store instruction.

Abstract: A store queue for use in a data processor (10) with a memory storage system has a first-in-first-out ("FIFO") queue (48) and control circuitry (52). The control circuitry maintains three pointers which index the entries in the FIFO queue: a dispatch pointer (D), a completion pointer (C), and an oldest miss pointer (OM). The control circuitry stores each stole instruction in the entry designated by the dispatch pointer and then increments the dispatch pointer. The control circuitry increments the completion pointer when the data processor indicates that the previously designated store instruction is the oldest instruction in the data processor: when the instruction is "completed." The control circuitry increments the oldest miss pointer after it presents the previously designated store instruction to the memory system.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for making copper metal powder from copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-beating material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions in said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, said extractant comprising (i) at least one oxime characterized by a hydrocarbon linkage with at least one --OH group and at least one .dbd.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a process for making copper metal powder from copper-bearing material, comprising: (A) contacting said copper-bearing material with an effective amount of at least one aqueous leaching solution to dissolve copper ions in said leaching solution and form a copper-rich aqueous leaching solution; (B) contacting said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution with an effective amount of at least one water-insoluble extractant to transfer copper ions from said copper-rich aqueous leaching solution to said extractant to form a copper-rich extractant and a copper-depleted aqueous leaching solution, said extractant comprising (i) at least one oxime characterized by a hydrocarbon linkage with at least one --OH group and at least one .dbd.

Abstract: A conductive copper foil for use in preparing printed circuit boards is protected from damage during storage, shipment and further processing by covering at least one side of the foil with a sheet of plastic film. The film is removably joined with the foil as a result of the essential absence of gaseous material between the film and the foil. Thus, the film conforms intimately to the contours and shape of the foil surface and clings tightly thereto to permit movement and further processing of the foil with the film adhering tightly thereto. The absence of air between the film and the foil is produced by oppositely statically electrically charging the film and the foil such that they are forced together sufficiently to squeeze the air out from therebetween.