Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A central processing unit (10) has a cache memory system (24) associated therewith for interfacing with a main memory system (23). The cache memory system (24) includes a primary cache (26) comprised of SRAMS and a secondary cache (28) comprised of DRAM. The primary cache (26) has a faster access than the secondary cache (28). When it is determined that the requested data is stored in the primary cache (26) it is transferred immediately to the central processing unit (10). When it is determined that the data resides only in the secondary cache (28), the data is accessed therefrom and routed to the central processing unit (10) and simultaneously stored in the primary cache (26). If a hit occurs in the primary cache (26), it is accessed and output to a local data bus (32). If only the secondary cache (28) indicates a hit, data is accessed from the appropriate one of the arrays (80)-(86) and transferred through the primary cache ( 26) via transfer circuits (96), (98), (100) and (102) to the data bus (32). Simultaneously therewith, the data is stored in an appropriate one of the arrays (88)-(94). When a hit does not occur in either the secondary cache (28) or the primary cache (26), data is retrieved from the main system memory (23) through a buffer/multiplexer circuit on one side of the secondary cache (28) and passed through both the secondary cache (28) and the primary cache (26) and stored therein in a single operation due to the line for line transfer provided by the transfer circuits (96)-(102).

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim