Abstract: A method for inline bus data compression and decompression is disclosed. In one embodiment, data is selected for transfer via a data bus, the data is divided into byte sized divisions of the bus width, and each byte is compressed by an individual compression engine. The data is then properly sequenced, aligned and recombined and further transmitted in its compressed state. When required to be decompressed, the compressed data is again divided into bytes of compressed data, each byte being decompressed individually, and then restored to the bus in its uncompressed form, in essence, in the reverse order of the compression process.

Abstract: A processor having one or more address translation registers for holding translation information that enables translations from virtual addresses to physical addresses. The address translation registers may be allocated to a set of logical areas of a process and the logical areas may be allocated to physical pages so as to enhance a likelihood that translation information for the process will be available in the address translation registers. The address translation registers are saved and restored during context switches. The address translation registers may be used with or without translation look-aside buffers.

Abstract: A method for adding compressed page tables to an operating system is disclosed. An embodiment provides for a method in which a single entity, for example, an operating system has control of the compression and decompression of data and where the data is stored. When a data access is desired, the method accesses a table specifying the physical memory location of uncompressed data to determine if specified data is in uncompressed memory. The method of this embodiment accesses a table specifying the physical memory location of data in compressed memory to determine if the data is in the compressed memory. The method also access a page directory table to determine the location of the data in virtual memory in the event of a page fault. Then, this embodiment accesses the data based on the table look-up results.

Abstract: A method and system for parallel fetch and decompression of compressed data blocks is disclosed. A method first accesses a table of pointers specifying the location of compressed data to obtain a pointer. Using the pointer, the method reads a pointer in the first block of data, the pointer specifying the location of the next block of compressed data in a chain of compressed data blocks. The method also transfers the rest of the first compressed data block to be decompressed. The method then fetches the next compressed data block using the second pointer while decompressing the first compressed data block. Using a pointer in each successive compressed data block in the chain, the method pre-fetches the next compressed data block while the previous compressed data block is being decompressed.

Abstract: A computer system with mechanisms for avoiding mapping conflicts in a translation look-aside buffer. A memory manager in the computer system allocates a virtual address to a process by determining a set of previously allocated virtual addresses for the process and selecting the virtual address such that the mapping of the virtual address to the translation look-aside buffer does not conflict with any of the previously allocated virtual addresses.

Abstract: A method for inline bus data compression and decompression is disclosed. In one embodiment, data is selected for transfer via a data bus, the data is divided into byte sized divisions of the bus width, and each byte is compressed by an individual compression engine. The data is then properly sequenced, aligned and recombined and further transmitted in its compressed state. When required to be decompressed, the compressed data is again divided into bytes of compressed data, each byte being decompressed individually, and then restored to the bus in its uncompressed form, in essence, in the reverse order of the compression process.

Abstract: A method for adding compressed page tables to an operating system is disclosed. An embodiment provides for a method in which a single entity, for example, an operating system has control of the compression and decompression of data and where the data is stored. When a data access is desired, the method accesses a table specifying the physical memory location of uncompressed data to determine if specified data is in uncompressed memory. The method of this embodiment accesses a table specifying the physical memory location of data in compressed memory to determine if the data is in the compressed memory. The method also access a page directory table to determine the location of the data in virtual memory in the event of a page fault. Then, this embodiment accesses the data based on the table look-up results.

Abstract: A method and system for parallel fetch and decompression of compressed data blocks is disclosed. A method first accesses a table of pointers specifying the location of compressed data to obtain a pointer. Using the pointer, the method reads a pointer in the first block of data, the pointer specifying the location of the next block of compressed data in a chain of compressed data blocks. The method also transfers the rest of the first compressed data block to be decompressed. The method then fetches the next compressed data block using the second pointer while decompressing the first compressed data block. Using a pointer in each successive compressed data block in the chain, the method pre-fetches the next compressed data block while the previous compressed data block is being decompressed.