Guard Tag Substitution for Memory Access Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In data processing systems, the availability of guard tags associated with memory locations is not guaranteed, particularly in caches that do not support additional storage for guard tags, leading to inconsistencies in tag-guarded memory accesses.
Innovation Solution
Memory access circuitry is designed to store a substitute guard tag value when the original guard tag is unavailable, allowing subsequent memory accesses to proceed with a match, thereby ensuring system flexibility and error detection in cases of mismatch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If guard tags are stored in association with memory locations to enable error detection, then memory access reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional storage requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a substitution mechanism where a substitute guard tag value is stored in the memory location when the original guard tag is unavailable. This intermediary substitute value allows the guard-tag check operation to proceed without failure, maintaining system operation while preserving the error detection capability through the substitution process.
2Reliability
If guard tags are retrieved and checked for every memory access, then error detection capability is improved, but processing speed deteriorates due to additional check operations
Solution Approach 1:
The memory access circuitry automatically performs the guard-tag check operation and substitution process without requiring external intervention or complex control logic. When a guard tag is unavailable, the system self-corrects by storing a substitute value, enabling continued operation without manual intervention or complex error handling procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If substitute guard tag values are stored when original tags are unavailable, then system adaptability is improved, but loss of information occurs as original guard tag data is replaced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful situation of missing guard tags into a beneficial outcome by introducing substitute values that enable the system to continue operating. The substitution process transforms the information loss into a functional benefit, allowing the memory access circuitry to maintain error detection capability even when original guard tag data is unavailable.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising memory access circuitry to perform a tag-guarded memory access in response to a received target address and methods of operation of the same are disclosed. In the tag-guarded memory access a guard-tag retrieval operation seeks to retrieve a guard tag stored in association with a block of one or more memory locations comprising an addressed location identified by the received target address, and a guard-tag check operation compares an address tag associated with the received target address with the guard tag retrieved by the guard-tag retrieval operation. When the guard-tag retrieval operation is unsuccessful in retrieving the guard tag, a substitute guard tag value is stored as the guard tag in association with the block of one or more memory locations comprising the addressed location identified by the target address.