17955888. LAST USE CACHE POLICY simplified abstract (ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC)

From WikiPatents
Jump to navigation Jump to search

LAST USE CACHE POLICY

Organization Name

ATI TECHNOLOGIES ULC

Inventor(s)

JIMSHED Mirza of MARKHAM (CA)

LAST USE CACHE POLICY - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 17955888 titled 'LAST USE CACHE POLICY

Simplified Explanation

The processor described in the patent application is designed to manage data in a cache using a last use cache policy. Here are some key points to explain the innovation:

  • The processor accesses data in a portion of the cache.
  • It determines that the data in that portion of the cache is no longer needed.
  • The processor marks the data in the cache as non-dirty, indicating that it should not be evicted to memory.

Potential Applications

This technology could be applied in various computing systems where efficient cache management is crucial, such as servers, data centers, and high-performance computing environments.

Problems Solved

1. Efficient cache management: By marking data as non-dirty when it is no longer needed, the processor can optimize cache usage and reduce unnecessary evictions to memory. 2. Improved performance: The last use cache policy helps prioritize data that is more likely to be accessed again, leading to faster retrieval times.

Benefits

1. Enhanced cache efficiency: By keeping track of the last use of data, the processor can make more informed decisions on what to keep in the cache. 2. Reduced memory access: Minimizing unnecessary evictions to memory can help lower latency and improve overall system performance.

Potential Commercial Applications

"Optimizing Cache Management for High-Performance Computing Systems"

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art in cache management is the Least Recently Used (LRU) policy, which also aims to optimize cache performance by evicting the least recently accessed data.

Unanswered Questions

How does the processor determine that data in the cache is no longer needed?

The abstract does not provide specific details on the method used by the processor to make this determination.

What impact does marking data as non-dirty have on overall system performance?

The abstract mentions that this marking is indicative that the data should not be evicted to memory, but it does not elaborate on how this affects the system's efficiency or speed.


Original Abstract Submitted

A processor for implementing a last use cache policy is configured to access data in a portion of a cache, determine that the data in the portion of the cache is no longer needed, and mark the data in the portion of the cache as non-dirty responsive to the determining that the data in the portion of the cache is no longer needed. The marking of the data as non-dirty is indicative that the data in the portion of the cache is not to be evicted from the cache to a memory.