Abstract: A write-back coherency data cache for temporarily holding cache lines. Upon receiving a processor request for data, a determination is made from a coherency directory whether a copy of the data is cached in a write-back cache located in a memory controller hardware. The write-back cache holds data being written back to main memory for a period of time prior to writing the data to main memory. If the data is cached in the write-back cache, the data is removed from the write-back cache and forwarded to the requesting processor. The cache coherency state in the coherency directory entry for the data is updated to reflect the current cache coherency state of the data based on the requesting processor's intended use of the data.

Abstract: A system and method of improved task switching in a data processing system. First, a first-level cache memory casts out an invalidated page table entry and an associated first page directory base address to a second-level cache memory. Then, the second-level cache memory determines if a task switch has occurred. If a task switch has not occurred, first-level cache memory sends the invalidated page table entry to a current running task directory. If a task switch has occurred, first-level cache memory loads from the second-level cache directory a collection of page table entries related to a new task to enable improved task switching without requiring access to a page table stored in main memory to retrieve the collection of page table entries.

Abstract: The proposed system and associated algorithm when implemented improves the processor cache miss rates and overall cache efficiency in multi-core environments in which multiple CPU's share a single cache structure (as an example). The cache efficiency will be improved by tracking CPU core loading patterns such as miss rate and minimum cache line load threshold levels. Using this information along with existing cache eviction method such as LRU, results in determining which cache line from which CPU is evicted from the shared cache when a capacity conflict arises. This methodology allows one to dynamically allocate shared cache entries to each core within the socket based on the particular core's frequency of shared cache usage.

Abstract: The proposed system and associated algorithm when implemented improves the processor cache miss rates and overall cache efficiency in multi-core environments in which multiple CPU's share a single cache structure (as an example). The cache efficiency will be improved by tracking CPU core loading patterns such as miss rate and minimum cache line load threshold levels. Using this information along with existing cache eviction method such as LRU, results in determining which cache line from which CPU is evicted from the shared cache when a capacity conflict arises. This methodology allows one to dynamically allocate shared cache entries to each core within the socket based on the particular core's frequency of shared cache usage.

Abstract: A system and method of improved task switching in a data processing system. First, a first-level cache memory casts out an invalidated page table entry and an associated first page directory base address to a second-level cache memory. Then, the second-level cache memory determines if a task switch has occurred. If a task switch has not occurred, first-level cache memory sends the invalidated page table entry to a current running task directory. If a task switch has occurred, first-level cache memory loads from the second-level cache directory a collection of page table entries related to a new task to enable improved task switching without requiring access to a page table stored in main memory to retrieve the collection of page table entries.

Abstract: A system and method of improved task switching in a data processing system. First, a first-level cache memory casts out an invalidated page table entry and an associated first page directory base address to a second-level cache memory. Then, the second-level cache memory determines if a task switch has occurred. If a task switch has not occurred, first-level cache memory sends the invalidated page table entry to a current running task directory. If a task switch has occurred, first-level cache memory loads from the second-level cache directory a collection of page table entries related to a new task to enable improved task switching without requiring access to a page table stored in main memory to retrieve the collection of page table entries.