Shared Cache Trigger Channels for Multicore Memory Throughput
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-core coherent systems, the heterogeneity of cache structures and memory access types across different processor components leads to increased CPU stall overhead and reduced memory throughput, making it challenging to maintain data consistency and maximize shared memory bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
A multi-core processing system with a shared memory controller (MSMC) that includes trigger control channels configured to receive and store memory management commands, detect triggering events, and arbitrate memory access requests to optimize memory access and reduce latency, using a data routing unit (DRU) for integrated address translation and cache prewarming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the interconnect handles memory accesses in a serial fashion to guarantee atomicity and data consistency, then data coherency is maintained, but the interconnect becomes the access bottleneck reducing memory throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The memory controller is segmented into multiple independent trigger control channels, each capable of handling memory access requests autonomously. This segmentation allows parallel processing of memory operations across different channels, eliminating the serial bottleneck while maintaining data consistency through individual channel arbitration
Solution Approach 2:
The trigger control channels act as intermediary components between the interconnect and the memory hierarchy. These channels receive, buffer, and process memory management commands, mediating between the interconnect and lower-level memory components to enable parallel command issuance while preserving atomicity guarantees
2Loss of time
If cache components issue cache allocate accesses with critical line first request to reduce CPU stall overhead, then CPU stall overhead is reduced, but other CPU's stall overhead is extended and shared memory throughput is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger control channels dynamically adjust memory access prioritization based on system state and multiple CPU needs. Rather than statically prioritizing one CPU's critical line, the system dynamically balances access requests across multiple CPUs, adjusting command issuance timing and priority to minimize overall CPU stall overhead while maintaining high shared memory throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of memory access timing and prioritization from a fixed critical-line-first approach to a dynamic multi-CPU-aware approach. The trigger control channels modify access parameters based on current system state, enabling optimal balance between reducing CPU stalls and maintaining high memory throughput
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple processor components access shared memory resources with different cache structures and access types, then system functionality is enhanced, but CPU stall overhead increases and memory throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger control channels provide a universal interface that handles diverse memory access types from different processor components with different cache structures. Each channel can process various access types (read, write, allocate, invalidate) for multiple CPUs, providing multi-functional capability that manages heterogeneity while maintaining high throughput through parallel channel operation
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques including receiving configuration information for a trigger control channel of the one or more trigger control channels, the configuration information defining a first one or more triggering events, receiving a first memory management command, store the first memory management command, detecting a first one or more triggering events, and triggering the stored first memory management command based on the detected first one or more triggering events.