Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for processing ownership upgrade requests in relation to cached data. The apparatus has a plurality of processing units, at least some of which have associated cache storage. A coherent interconnect couples the plurality of master units with memory, the coherent interconnect having a snoop unit used to implement a cache coherency protocol when a request received by the coherent interconnect identifies a cacheable memory address within the memory. Contention management circuitry is provided to control contended access to a memory address by two or more processing units within the plurality of processing units.

Abstract: A memory controller comprises memory access circuitry configured to initiate a data access of data stored in a memory in response to a data access hint message received from another node in data communication with the memory controller; to access data stored in the memory in response to a data access request received from another node in data communication with the memory controller and to provide the accessed data as a data access response to the data access request.

Abstract: A data processing system (2) incorporates a first exclusive cache memory (8, 10) and a second exclusive cache memory (14). A snoop filter (18) located together with the second exclusive cache memory on one side of the communication interface (12) serves to track entries within the first exclusive cache memory. The snoop filter includes retention data storage circuitry to store retention data for controlling retention of cache entries within the second exclusive cache memory. Retention data transfer circuitry (20) serves to transfer the retention data to and from the retention data storage circuitry within the snoop filter and the second cache memory as the cache entries concerned are transferred between the second exclusive cache memory and the first exclusive cache memory.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for processing ownership upgrade requests in relation to cached data. The apparatus has a plurality of processing units, at least some of which have associated cache storage. A coherent interconnect couples the plurality of master units with memory, the coherent interconnect having a snoop unit used to implement a cache coherency protocol when a request received by the coherent interconnect identifies a cacheable memory address within the memory. Contention management circuitry is provided to control contended access to a memory address by two or more processing units within the plurality of processing units.

Abstract: In a data processing network comprising a Request, Home and Slave Nodes coupled via a coherent interconnect, a Home Node performs a read transaction in response to a read request from a Request Node. In a first embodiment, the transaction is terminated in the Home Node upon receipt of a read receipt from a Slave Node, acknowledging a read request from the Home Node. In a second embodiment, the Home Node sends a message to the Request Node indicating that a read transaction has been ordered in the Home Node and further indicating that data for the read transaction is provided in a separate data response. The transaction is terminated in the Home Node upon receipt of an acknowledge from the Request Node of this message. In this manner, the transaction is terminated in the Home Node without waiting for acknowledgement from the Request Node of completion of the transaction.

Abstract: The present disclosure is concerned with improvements to cache systems that can be used to improve the performance (e.g. hit performance) and/or bandwidth within a memory hierarchy. For instance, a data processing apparatus is provided that comprises a cache. Access circuitry receives one or more requests for data and when the data is present in the cache the data is returned. Retrieval circuitry retrieves the data and stores the data in the cache, either proactively or in response to the one or more requests for the data. Control circuitry evicts the data from the cache and, in dependence on at least one condition, stores the data in the further cache. The at least one condition comprises a requirement that the data was stored into the cache proactively and that a number of the one or more requests is above a threshold value.

Abstract: Storage circuitry is provided, that is designed to form part of a memory hierarchy. The storage circuitry comprises receiver circuitry for receiving a request to obtain data from the memory hierarchy. Transfer circuitry causes the data to be stored at a selected destination in response to the request, wherein the selected destination is selected in dependence on at least one selection condition. Tracker circuitry tracks the request while the request is unresolved. If at least one selection condition is met then the destination is the storage circuitry and otherwise the destination is other storage circuitry in the memory hierarchy.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes receiving circuitry to receive a snoop request sent by a source node in respect of requested data and transmitting circuitry. Cache circuitry caches at least one data value. The snoop request includes an indication as to whether the requested data is to be returned to the source node and when the at least one data value includes the requested data, the transmitting circuitry transmits a response to the source node including said requested data, in dependence on said indication.

Abstract: A memory controller comprises memory access circuitry configured to initiate a data access of data stored in a memory in response to a data access hint message received from another node in data communication with the memory controller; to access data stored in the memory in response to a data access request received from another node in data communication with the memory controller and to provide the accessed data as a data access response to the data access request.

Abstract: In a data processing network comprising a Request, Home and Slave Nodes coupled via a coherent interconnect, a Home Node performs a read transaction in response to a read request from a Request Node. In a first embodiment, the transaction is terminated in the Home Node upon receipt of a read receipt from a Slave Node, acknowledging a read request from the Home Node. In a second embodiment, the Home Node sends a message to the Request Node indicating that a read transaction has been ordered in the Home Node and further indicating that data for the read transaction is provided in a separate data response. The transaction is terminated in the Home Node upon receipt of an acknowledge from the Request Node of this message. In this manner, the transaction is terminated in the Home Node without waiting for acknowledgement from the Request Node of completion of the transaction.

Abstract: A memory controller comprises memory access circuitry configured to initiate a data access of data stored in a memory in response to a data access hint message received from another node in data communication with the memory controller; to access data stored in the memory in response to a data access request received from another node in data communication with the memory controller and to provide the accessed data as a data access response to the data access request.

Abstract: A cache hierarchy and a method of operating the cache hierarchy are disclosed. The cache hierarchy comprises a first cache level comprising an instruction cache, and predecoding circuitry to perform a predecoding operation on instructions having a first encoding format retrieved from memory to generate predecoded instructions having a second encoding format for storage in the instruction cache. The cache hierarchy further comprises a second cache level comprising a cache and the first cache level instruction cache comprises cache control circuitry to control an eviction procedure for the instruction cache in which a predecoded instruction having the second encoding format which is evicted from the instruction cache is stored at the second cache level in the second encoding format. This enables the latency and power cost of the predecoding operation to be avoided when the predecoded instruction is then retrieved from the second cache level for storage in the first level instruction cache again.

Abstract: A compare and swap transaction can be issued by a master device to request a processing unit to select whether to write a swap data value to a storage location corresponding to a target address in dependence on whether a compare data value matches a target data value read from the storage location. The compare and swap data values are transported within a data field of the compare and swap transaction. The compare data value is packed into a first region of the data field in dependence of an offset portion of the target address and having a position within the data field corresponding to the position of the target data value within the storage location. This reduces latency and circuitry required at the processing unit for handling the compare and swap transaction.

Abstract: A cache hierarchy and a method of operating the cache hierarchy are disclosed. The cache hierarchy comprises a first cache level comprising an instruction cache, and predecoding circuitry to perform a predecoding operation on instructions having a first encoding format retrieved from memory to generate predecoded instructions having a second encoding format for storage in the instruction cache. The cache hierarchy further comprises a second cache level comprising a cache and the first cache level instruction cache comprises cache control circuitry to control an eviction procedure for the instruction cache in which a predecoded instruction having the second encoding format which is evicted from the instruction cache is stored at the second cache level in the second encoding format. This enables the latency and power cost of the predecoding operation to be avoided when the predecoded instruction is then retrieved from the second cache level for storage in the first level instruction cache again.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided that includes a plurality of storage elements. Receiving circuitry receives a plurality of incoming data beats from cache circuitry and stores the incoming data beats in the storage elements. At least one existing data beat in the storage elements is replaced by an equal number of the incoming data beats belonging to a different cache line of the cache circuitry. The existing data beats stored in said plurality of storage elements form an incomplete cache line.

Abstract: Apparatus and a corresponding method of operating a hub device, and a target device, in a coherent interconnect system are presented. A cache pre-population request of a set of coherency protocol transactions in the system is received from a requesting master device specifying at least one data item and the hub device responds by cause a cache pre-population trigger of the set of coherency protocol transactions specifying the at least one data item to be transmitted to a target device. This trigger can cause the target device to request that the specified at least one data item is retrieved and brought into cache. Since the target device can therefore decide whether to respond to the trigger or not, it does not receive cached data unsolicited, simplifying its configuration, whilst still allowing some data to be pre-cached.

Abstract: A compare and swap transaction can be issued by a master device to request a processing unit to select whether to write a swap data value to a storage location corresponding to a target address in dependence on whether a compare data value matches a target data value read from the storage location. The compare and swap data values are transported within a data field of the compare and swap transaction. The compare data value is packed into a first region of the data field in dependence of an offset portion of the target address and having a position within the data field corresponding to the position of the target data value within the storage location. This reduces latency and circuitry required at the processing unit for handling the compare and swap transaction.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes receiving circuitry to receive a snoop request sent by a source node in respect of requested data and transmitting circuitry. Cache circuitry caches at least one data value. The snoop request includes an indication as to whether the requested data is to be returned to the source node and when the at least one data value includes the requested data, the transmitting circuitry transmits a response to the source node including said requested data, in dependence on said indication.

Abstract: A memory controller comprises memory access circuitry configured to initiate a data access of data stored in a memory in response to a data access hint message received from another node in data communication with the memory controller; to access data stored in the memory in response to a data access request received from another node in data communication with the memory controller and to provide the accessed data as a data access response to the data access request.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is provided, which includes receiving circuitry to receive a snoop request in respect of requested data on behalf of a requesting node. The snoop request includes an indication as to whether forwarding is to occur. Transmitting circuitry transmits a response to the snoop request and cache circuitry caches at least one data value. When forwarding is to occur and the at least one data value includes the requested data, the response includes the requested data and the transmitting circuitry transmits the response to the requesting node.