Abstract: This invention is a streaming engine employed in a digital signal processor. A fixed data stream sequence is specified by a control register. The streaming engine fetches stream data ahead of use by a central processing unit and stores it in a stream buffer. Upon occurrence of a fault reading data from memory, the streaming engine identifies the data element triggering the fault preferably storing this address in a fault address register. The streaming engine defers signaling the fault to the central processing unit until this data element is used as an operand. If the data element is never used by the central processing unit, the streaming engine never signals the fault. The streaming engine preferably stores data identifying the fault in a fault source register. The fault address register and the fault source register are preferably extended control registers accessible only via a debugger.

Abstract: A method for compiling and executing a nested loop includes initializing a nested loop controller with an outer loop count value and an inner loop count value. The nested loop controller includes a predicate FIFO. The method also includes coalescing the nested loop and, during execution of the coalesced nested loop, causing the nested loop controller to populate the predicate FIFO and executing a get predicate instruction having an offset value, where the get predicate returns a value from the predicate FIFO specified by the offset value. The method further includes predicating an outer loop instruction on the returned value from the predicate FIFO.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes fetching a fetch-packet containing a first hyper-block from a first address of a memory, the fetch-packet containing a bitwise distance from an entry point of the first hyper-block to a predicted exit point; executing a first branch instruction of the first hyper-block, wherein the first branch instruction corresponds to a first exit point, and wherein the first branch instruction includes an address corresponding to an entry point of a second hyper-block; storing, responsive to executing the first branch instruction, a bitwise distance from the entry point of the first hyper-block to the first exit point; and moving a program counter from the first exit point of the first hyper-block to the entry point of the second hyper-block.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing data, comprising receiving a first memory request associated with a first clock domain, converting a first memory address of the first memory request from a first memory address format associated with the first clock domain to a second memory address format associated with the second clock domain, transitioning the first memory request to a second clock domain, creating a first scoreboard entry associated with the first memory request, transmitting the first memory request to a memory based on the converted first memory address, receiving a first response to the first memory request, transitioning the first response to the second clock domain and clearing the first scoreboard entry based on the received response.

Abstract: A device includes a data path, a first interface connected to the data path and configured to receive a request from a processor package to write a data value to a memory address, and a controller connected to the data path and configured to receive the request to write the data value to the memory address and to calculate a Hamming code of the data value. The controller is configured to transmit the data value and the Hamming code on the data path. The device includes an external memory interleave connected to the data path. The external memory interleave is configured to receive the data value and calculate a test Hamming code of the data value and to determine whether to send the data value to an external memory interface to be written to the memory address based on a comparison of the Hamming code and the test Hamming code.

Abstract: A device includes a memory bank. The memory bank includes data portions of a first way group. The data portions of the first way group include a data portion of a first way of the first way group and a data portion of a second way of the first way group. The memory bank further includes data portions of a second way group. The device further includes a configuration register and a controller configured to individually allocate, based on one or more settings in the configuration register, the first way and the second way to one of an addressable memory space and a data cache.

Abstract: A system includes a multi-core shared memory controller (MSMC). The MSMC includes a snoop filter bank, a cache tag bank, and a memory bank. The cache tag bank is connected to both the snoop filter bank and the memory bank. The MSMC further includes a first coherent slave interface connected to a data path that is connected to the snoop filter bank. The MSMC further includes a second coherent slave interface connected to the data path that is connected to the snoop filter bank. The MSMC further includes an external memory master interface connected to the cache tag bank and the memory bank. The system further includes a first processor package connected to the first coherent slave interface and a second processor package connected to the second coherent slave interface. The system further includes an external memory device connected to the external memory master interface.

Abstract: A device includes a data path, a first interface configured to receive a first memory access request from a first peripheral device, and a second interface configured to receive a second memory access request from a second peripheral device. The device further includes an arbiter circuit configured to determine a first destination device connected to the data path and associated with the first memory access request and a first credit threshold corresponding to the first memory access request. The arbiter circuit is further configured to determine a second destination device connected to the data path and associated with the second memory access request and a second credit threshold corresponding to the second memory access request. The arbiter circuit is configured to arbitrate access to the data path by the first memory access request and the second memory access request based on the first credit threshold and the second credit threshold.

Abstract: Techniques for maintaining cache coherency comprising storing data blocks associated with a main process in a cache line of a main cache memory, storing a first local copy of the data blocks in a first local cache memory of a first processor, storing a second local copy of the set of data blocks in a second local cache memory of a second processor executing a first child process of the main process to generate first output data, writing the first output data to the first data block of the first local copy as a write through, writing the first output data to the first data block of the main cache memory as a part of the write through, transmitting an invalidate request to the second local cache memory, marking the second local copy of the set of data blocks as delayed, and transmitting an acknowledgment to the invalidate request.

Abstract: Techniques including receiving configuration information for a trigger control channel of the one or more trigger control channels, the configuration information defining a first one or more triggering events, receiving a first memory management command, store the first memory management command, detecting a first one or more triggering events, and triggering the stored first memory management command based on the detected first one or more triggering events.

Abstract: A device includes an interconnect and a plurality of devices connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices includes a first interface connected to the interconnect and a second interface connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes a first memory bank connected to the interconnect and a second memory bank connected to the interconnect. The plurality of devices further includes an external memory interface connected to the interconnect and a controller configured to establish virtual channels among the plurality of devices connected to the interconnect.

Abstract: Techniques for accessing memory by a memory controller, comprising receiving, by the memory controller, a memory management command to perform a memory management operation at a virtual memory address, translating the virtual memory address to a physical memory address, wherein the physical memory address comprises an address within a cache memory, and outputting an instruction to the cache memory based on the memory management command and the physical memory address.

Abstract: A device includes a data path, a first interface configured to receive a first memory access request from a first peripheral device, and a second interface configured to receive a second memory access request from a second peripheral device. The device further includes an arbiter circuit configured to, in a first clock cycle, a pre-arbitration winner between a first memory access request and a second memory access request based on a first number of credits allocated to a first destination device and a second number of credits allocated to a second destination device. The arbiter circuit is further configured to, in a second clock cycle select a final arbitration winner from among the pre-arbitration winner and a subsequent memory access request based on a comparison of a priority of the pre-arbitration winner and a priority of the subsequent memory access request.

Abstract: Techniques for loading data, comprising receiving a memory management command to perform a memory management operation to load data into the cache memory before execution of an instruction that requests the data, formatting the memory management command into one or more instruction for a cache controller associated with the cache memory, and outputting an instruction to the cache controller to load the data into the cache memory based on the memory management command.

Abstract: A stream of data is accessed from a memory system using a stream of addresses generated in a first mode of operating a streaming engine in response to executing a first stream instruction. A block cache preload operation is performed on a cache in the memory using a block of addresses generated in a second mode of operating the streaming engine in response to executing a second stream instruction.

Abstract: A stream of data is accessed from a memory system using a stream of addresses generated in a first mode of operating a streaming engine in response to executing a first stream instruction. A block cache management operation is performed on a cache in the memory using a block of addresses generated in a second mode of operating the streaming engine in response to executing a second stream instruction.

Abstract: A prefetch unit generates a prefetch address in response to an address associated with a memory read request received from the first or second cache. The prefetch unit includes a prefetch buffer that is arranged to store the prefetch address in an address buffer of a selected slot of the prefetch buffer, where each slot of the prefetch unit includes a buffer for storing a prefetch address, and two sub-slots. Each sub-slot includes a data buffer for storing data that is prefetched using the prefetch address stored in the slot, and one of the two sub-slots of the slot is selected in response to a portion of the generated prefetch address. Subsequent hits on the prefetcher result in returning prefetched data to the requestor in response to a subsequent memory read request received after the initial received memory read request.

Abstract: A flexible hybrid firewall architecture that allows a mix of firewalls at end points in front of a target and at the initiator points. Groups of Priv-IDs may be created where each group is isolated from other worlds, with all firewalls controlled by a device management and security module.

Abstract: This invention is a bus communication protocol. A master device stores bus credits. The master device may transmit a bus transaction only if it holds sufficient number and type of bus credits. Upon transmission, the master device decrements the number of stored bus credits. The bus credits correspond to resources on a slave device for receiving bus transactions. The slave device must receive the bus transaction if accompanied by the proper credits. The slave device services the transaction. The slave device then transmits a credit return. The master device adds the corresponding number and types of credits to the stored amount. The slave device is ready to accept another bus transaction and the master device is re-enabled to initiate the bus transaction. In many types of interactions a bus agent may act as both master and slave depending upon the state of the process.

Abstract: A prefetch unit generates a prefetch address in response to an address associated with a memory read request received from the first or second cache. The prefetch unit includes a prefetch buffer that is arranged to store the prefetch address in an address buffer of a selected slot of the prefetch buffer, where each slot of the prefetch unit includes a buffer for storing a prefetch address, and two sub-slots. Each sub-slot includes a data buffer for storing data that is prefetched using the prefetch address stored in the slot, and one of the two sub-slots of the slot is selected in response to a portion of the generated prefetch address. Subsequent hits on the prefetcher result in returning prefetched data to the requestor in response to a subsequent memory read request received after the initial received memory read request.