Context Tracking Circuitry for Memory Synchronization Delay

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing data processing apparatuses face inefficiencies in memory synchronization after maintenance operations, leading to unnecessary time and resource consumption due to the difficulty in tracking pending memory updates across multiple processing contexts.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes processing circuitry, context tracking circuitry, and control circuitry. The context tracking circuitry stores data on active processing contexts, and the control circuitry, upon receiving a memory synchronization request post-maintenance, determines if any relevant contexts are active. If active, it implements a delay until pending memory updates are completed; otherwise, synchronization occurs immediately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If memory synchronisation is performed after maintenance operations, then data consistency is ensured, but time and resources are consumed unnecessarily when no pending updates exist

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidsynchronisation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary tracking of active contexts during maintenance operations and stores this information in context tracking data. When synchronisation is requested, the control circuitry uses this pre-collected information to quickly determine whether pending updates exist, avoiding unnecessary synchronisation delays and optimizing the timing of memory synchronisation operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If memory synchronisation is performed after maintenance operations, then data consistency is ensured, but processing resources are consumed unnecessarily when no active contexts exist

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidprocessing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The context tracking circuitry collects and stores information about active contexts during maintenance operations as context tracking data. This preliminary action enables the control circuitry to make informed decisions about whether to perform synchronisation, thereby avoiding unnecessary consumption of processing resources and energy when no active contexts require synchronisation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If context tracking is implemented, then unnecessary synchronisation is avoided, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesynchronisation efficiencyVSAvoidcontext tracking mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the context tracking function into a dedicated context tracking circuitry component that operates independently from the main processing elements. This segmentation allows the tracking mechanism to be implemented as a separate functional block with specific responsibilities for collecting and storing active context information, making the overall system architecture more modular and manageable despite the added complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Reliability

If delay is implemented before memory synchronisation, then pending updates are completed, but synchronisation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate completionVSAvoidsynchronisation duration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary tracking of active contexts and their update status during maintenance operations. This pre-collected information allows the control circuitry to quickly determine whether a delay is necessary before synchronisation, avoiding unnecessary delays when no pending updates exist and implementing delays only when required to ensure update completion, thereby optimizing synchronisation duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20250068449A1Memory synchronisation subsequent to a maintenance operation

Publication Date: 2025.02.27 ARM LTD

AI summary

There is provided an apparatus, system, method, and medium. The apparatus comprises one or more processing elements, each processing element comprising processing circuitry to perform processing operations in one of a plurality of processing contexts. Each processing element further comprises context tracking circuitry to store context tracking data indicative of active contexts. Each processing element comprises control circuitry responsive to a request for a memory synchronisation occurring subsequent to at least one maintenance operation associated with a given set of one or more contexts of the plurality of processing contexts, to determine whether the at least one of the given set of one or more contexts is indicated in the context tracking data. The control circuitry is configured, when the at least one of the given set of one or more contexts is determined to be indicated in the context tracking data, to implement a delay before performing the memory synchronisation, and when each of the given set of one or more contexts is determined to be absent from the context tracking data, to perform the memory synchronisation without implementing the delay.