Abstract: A cache controller for a system having first and second level cache memories. The cache controller has multiple stage address and data pipelines. A look-up system allows concurrent look-up of tag addresses in the first and second level caches using the address pipeline. The multiple stages allow a miss in the first level cache to be moved to the second stage so that the latency does not slow the look-up of a next address in the first level cache. A write data pipeline allows the look-up of data being written to the first level cache for current read operations. A stack of registers coupled to the address pipeline is used to perform multiple line replacements of the first level cache memory without interfering with current first level cache memory look-ups.

Abstract: A cache controller for a system having first and second level cache memories. The cache controller has multiple stage address and data pipelines. A look-up system allows concurrent look-up of tag addresses in the first and second level caches using the address pipeline. The multiple stages allow a miss in the first level cache to be moved to the second stage so that the latency does not slow the look-up of a next address in the first level cache. A write data pipeline allows the look-up of data being written to the first level cache for current read operations. A stack of registers coupled to the address pipeline is used to perform multiple line replacements of the first level cache memory without interfering with current first level cache look-ups. Multiple banks associated with a multiple set associative cache are stored in a single chip, reducing the number of SRAMs required. Certain status information for the second level (L2) cache is stored with the status information of the first level cache.