Abstract: Aspects include computing devices, systems, and methods for partitioning a system cache by sets and ways into component caches. A system cache memory controller may manage the component caches and manage access to the component caches. The system cache memory controller may receive system cache access requests specifying component cache identifiers, and match the component cache identifiers with records correlating traits of the component cache identifiers with in a component cache configuration table. The component cache traits may include a set shift trait, set offset trait, and target ways, which may define the locations of the component caches in the system cache. The system cache memory controller may also receive a physical address for the system cache in the system cache access request, determine an indexing mode for the component cache, and translate the physical address for the component cache.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive compression mode selection for memory buffers such as those used in or with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are presented. During operation of the PCD a first compression mode is selected for a buffer and the buffer is formatted to the first compression mode. Any access to the buffer by a component of the PCD, core of the PCD or software application running on the PCD is monitored. Based on the amount and/or type of access to the buffer, a second compression mode for the buffer is selected. The buffer is formatted to the second compression mode, providing a cost effective ability to adaptively format buffers based on the component(s), cores(s), and/or software application(s) accessing the buffers, and allowing for improving or optimizing bandwidth, memory footprint, resource conflict, power consumption, latency, and/or performance of component(s), core(s), or software application(s) accessing buffers as desired.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive implementation of victim cache modes in a portable computing device (PCD) are presented. In operation, an upper level cache is partitioned into a main portion and a sample portion; and a lower level cache is partitioned into a corresponding main portion and sample portion in communication with the main portion and sample portion of the upper level cache. A victim mode sample data set and a normal mode sample data set are obtained from the lower level cache. Based on the victim mode and a normal mode sample data sets, a determination is made whether to operate the lower level cache as a victim to the upper level cache. The main portion of lower level cache is caused to operate either as a victim or non-victim to the main portion of the upper level cache in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: Aspects include computing devices, systems, and methods for implementing a cache maintenance or status operation for a component cache of a system cache. A computing device may generate a component cache configuration table, assign at least one component cache indicator of a component cache to a master of the component cache, and map at least one control register to the component cache indicator by a centralized control entity. The computing device may store the component cache indicator such that the component cache indicator is accessible by the master of the component cache for discovering a virtualized view of the system cache and issuing a cache maintenance or status command for the component cache bypassing the centralized control entity. The computing device may receive the cache maintenance or status command by a control register associated with a cache maintenance or status command and the component cache bypassing the centralized control entity.

Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for managing write transaction volume from a master component to a long term memory component in a system on a chip (“SoC”) are disclosed. Because power consumption and bus bandwidth are unnecessarily consumed when ephemeral data is written back to long term memory (such as a double data rate “DDR” memory) from a closely coupled memory component (such as a low level cache “LLC” memory) of a data generating master component, embodiments of the solutions seek to identify write transactions that contain ephemeral data and prevent the ephemeral data from being written to DDR.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive implementation of victim cache modes in a portable computing device (PCD) are presented. In operation, an upper level cache is partitioned into a main portion and a sample portion; and a lower level cache is partitioned into a corresponding main portion and sample portion in communication with the main portion and sample portion of the upper level cache. A victim mode sample data set and a normal mode sample data set are obtained from the lower level cache. Based on the victim mode and a normal mode sample data sets, a determination is made whether to operate the lower level cache as a victim to the upper level cache. The main portion of lower level cache is caused to operate either as a victim or non-victim to the main portion of the upper level cache in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved operation of a victim cache in a portable computing device (PCD) are presented. A lower level cache is operated as a victim to an upper level cache, the lower level cache containing a plurality of cache lines. A filter is operated in association with the lower level victim cache, and reflects the cache lines contained in the victim cache. For a miss at the upper level cache, the filter is checked to determine if the requested cache line is in the victim cache. If checking the filter determines that the requested cache line is in the victim cache the requested cache line is retrieved from the victim cache. If checking the filter determines that the request cache line is not in the victim cache, the victim cache is bypassed and the cache line is requested from a memory controller.

Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for managing write transaction volume from a master component to a long term memory component in a system on a chip (“SoC”) are disclosed. Because power consumption and bus bandwidth are unnecessarily consumed when ephemeral data is written back to long term memory (such as a double data rate “DDR” memory) from a closely coupled memory component (such as a low level cache “LLC” memory) of a data generating master component, embodiments of the solutions seek to identify write transactions that contain ephemeral data and prevent the ephemeral data from being written to DDR.

Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed for reducing volatile memory standby power in a portable computing device. One such method involves receiving a request for a volatile memory device to enter a standby power mode. One or more compression parameters are determined for compressing content stored in a plurality of banks of the volatile memory device. The stored content is compressed based on the one or more compression parameters to free-up at least one of the plurality of banks. The method disables self-refresh of at least a portion of one or more of the plurality of banks freed-up by the compression during the standby power mode.

Abstract: A transparent format converter (TFC) may determine that a request by at least one processor for graphics data stored in graphics memory is indicative of a request for graphics data in a first data format. The TFC may retrieve the graphics data in a second data format from the graphics memory based at least in part on the request for the graphics data in the graphics memory. The TFC may convert the retrieved graphics data from the second data format to the first data format. The TFC may store the converted graphics data in the first data format into a memory that is accessible by the at least one processor.

Abstract: Aspects include computing devices, systems, and methods for dynamically partitioning a system cache by sets and ways into component caches. A system cache memory controller may manage the component caches and manage access to the component caches. The system cache memory controller may receive system cache access requests and reserve locations in the system cache corresponding to the component caches correlated with component cache identifiers of the requests. Reserving locations in the system cache may activate the locations in the system cache for use by a requesting client, and may also prevent other client from using the reserved locations in the system cache. Releasing the locations in the system cache may deactivate the locations in the system cache and allow other clients to use them. A client reserving locations in the system cache may change the amount of locations it has reserved within its component cache.

Abstract: Aspects include computing devices, systems, and methods for partitioning a system cache by sets and ways into component caches. A system cache memory controller may manage the component caches and manage access to the component caches. The system cache memory controller may receive system cache access requests specifying component cache identifiers, and match the component cache identifiers with records correlating traits of the component cache identifiers with in a component cache configuration table. The component cache traits may include a set shift trait, set offset trait, and target ways, which may define the locations of the component caches in the system cache. The system cache memory controller may also receive a physical address for the system cache in the system cache access request, determine an indexing mode for the component cache, and translate the physical address for the component cache.

Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for deep coalescing memory management (“DCMM”) in a portable computing device (“PCD”) are disclosed. Because multiple active multimedia (“MM”) clients running on the PCD may generate a random stream of mixed read and write requests associated with data stored at non-contiguous addresses in a double data rate (“DDR”) memory component, DCMM solutions triage the requests into dedicated deep coalescing (“DC”) cache buffers, sequentially ordering the requests and/or the DC buffers based on associated addresses for the data in the DDR, to optimize read and write transactions from and to the DDR memory component in blocks of contiguous data addresses.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adaptive compression mode selection for memory buffers such as those used in or with a portable computing device (“PCD”) are presented. During operation of the PCD a first compression mode is selected for a buffer and the buffer is formatted to the first compression mode. Any access to the buffer by a component of the PCD, core of the PCD or software application running on the PCD is monitored. Based on the amount and/or type of access to the buffer, a second compression mode for the buffer is selected. The buffer is formatted to the second compression mode, providing a cost effective ability to adaptively format buffers based on the component(s), cores(s), and/or software application(s) accessing the buffers, and allowing for improving or optimizing bandwidth, memory footprint, resource conflict, power consumption, latency, and/or performance of component(s), core(s), or software application(s) accessing buffers as desired.

Abstract: Devices, systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums for arbitrating bus transactions on a communications bus based on health information are disclosed. Health information of master devices can be used to adjust priorities of bus transactions from master devices to meet quality of service requirements of the master devices. In one embodiment, a bus interconnect is provided and configured to communicate bus transactions from any of a plurality of master devices to slave device(s) coupled the bus interconnect. The bus interconnect is further configured to map health information for each of the plurality of master devices into virtual priority space. The bus interconnect is further configured to translate the virtual priority space into a physical priority level for each of the plurality of master devices. The bus interconnect is further configured to arbitrate bus transactions for the plurality of master devices based on physical priority level for the plurality of master devices.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a cryptographic processor within a wireless device. The cryptographic processor includes at least one cryptographic unit. The cryptographic processor also includes a nonvolatile memory to store one or more microcode instructions, wherein at least one of the one or more microcode instructions is related to a sensitive operation. The cryptographic processor also includes a controller to control execution of the one or more microcode instructions by the at least one cryptographic unit, wherein the controller is to preclude execution of the sensitive operation if the apparatus is within an untrusted state.

Abstract: A mobile electronic communication device power management method and apparatus are disclosed for use in multiple processor hardware schemes having asymmetrical power demands between processors. Upon reaching an long duration idle state, a high-level processor with high power consumption requirements handling low-level system tasks updates a data set shared between processor subsystems containing information necessary to perform such low-level tasks. A proxy software module is initiated on a base-band processor with lower power consumption requirements. The proxy module accesses the shared data set and begins to control low-level system tasks, allowing the high-level processor to enter a dormant low power state. Upon the occurrence of a wake-up event, the high-level processor enters an active state. The shared data set is updated by the proxy software module and the proxy module is terminated. The high-level processor accesses the shared data set and resumes control of low-level system tasks.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a cryptographic processor within a wireless device. The cryptographic processor includes at least one cryptographic unit. The cryptographic processor also includes a nonvolatile memory to store one or more microcode instructions, wherein at least one of the one or more microcode instructions is related to a sensitive operation. The cryptographic processor also includes a controller to control execution of the one or more microcode instructions by the at least one cryptographic unit, wherein the controller is to preclude execution of the sensitive operation if the apparatus is within an untrusted state.

Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention includes a method and apparatus for enabling a main core and one or more co-processors to operate in a de-coupled mode, thereby facilitating the execution of two or more instruction threads in parallel. A co-processor, according to an embodiment of the invention, has a coupling manager including a loop buffer for storing instructions which can be independently fetched and executed by the co-processor when operating in de-coupled mode. In addition, the coupling manager includes a loop descriptor and a counter/condition descriptor. The loop descriptor and condition descriptor work in conjunction with one another to determine what, if any, action should be taken when a co-processor is in a particular processing state, for example, as indicated by a counter keeping track of loop processing.

Abstract: A mobile electronic communication device power management method and apparatus are disclosed for use in multiple processor hardware schemes having asymmetrical power demands between processors. Upon reaching an long duration idle state, a high-level processor with high power consumption requirements handling low-level system tasks updates a data set shared between processor subsystems containing information necessary to perform such low-level tasks. A proxy software module is initiated on a base-band processor with lower power consumption requirements. The proxy module accesses the shared data set and begins to control low-level system tasks, allowing the high-level processor to enter a dormant low power state. Upon the occurrence of a wake-up event, the high-level processor enters an active state. The shared data set is updated by the proxy software module and the proxy module is terminated. The high-level processor accesses the shared data set and resumes control of low-level system tasks.