Patents Represented by Attorney Lynn L. Augapurger
  • Patent number: 7966453
    Abstract: Software indicates to hardware of a processing system that its storage modification to a particular cache line is done, and will not be doing any modification for the time being. With this indication, the processor actively releases its exclusive ownership by updating its line ownership from exclusive to read-only (or shared) in its own cache directory and in the storage controller (SC). By actively giving up the exclusive rights, another processor can immediately be given exclusive ownership to that said cache line without waiting on any processor's explicit cross invalidate acknowledgement. This invention also describes the hardware design needed to provide this support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chung-Lung Kevin Shum, Kathryn Marie Jackson, Charles Franklin Webb