Abstract: A method and arrangement for producing a predicted subroutine return address in response to entry of a subroutine return instruction in a computer pipeline that has a ring pointer counter and a ring buffer coupled to the ring pointer counter. The ring pointer counter contains a ring pointer that is changed when either a subroutine call instruction or return instruction enters the computer pipeline. The ring buffer has buffer locations which store a value present at its input into the buffer location pointed to by the ring pointer when a subroutine call instruction enters the pipeline. The ring buffer provides a value from the buffer location pointed to by the ring pointer when a subroutine return instruction enters the computer pipeline, this provided value being the predicted subroutine return address.

Abstract: During the operation of a computer system whose processor is supported by virtual cache memory, the cache must be cleared and refilled to allow the replacement of old data with more current data. The cache is filled with either P or N (N>P) blocks of data. Numerous methods for dynamically selecting N or P blocks of data are possible. For instance, immediately after the cache has been flushed, the miss is refilled with N blocks, moving data to the cache at high speed. Once the cache is mostly full, the miss tends to be refilled with P blocks. This maintains the currency of the data in the cache, while simultaneously avoiding writing-over of data already in the cache. The invention is useful in a multi-user/multi-tasking system where the program being run changes frequently, necessitating flushing and clearing the cache frequently.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a cache memory system in a data processor including a virtual cache memory, a physical cache memory, a virtual to physical translation buffer, a physical to virtual backmap, an Old-PA pointer and a lockout register. The backmap implements invalidates by clearing the valid flags in virtual cache memory. The Old-PA pointer indicates the backmap entry to be invalidated after a reference misses in the virtual cache. The physical address for data written to virtual cache memory is entered to Old-PA pointer by the translation buffer. The lockout register arrests all references to data which may have synonyms in virtual cache memory. The backmap is also used to invalidate any synonyms.