Storage Circuitry Request Tracking for Memory Bandwidth
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing memory hierarchy systems face limitations in bandwidth due to the limited capacity of tracking requests, which can lead to increased power consumption and slower performance when attempting to enhance tracking capacity.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves storage circuitry with receiver, transfer, and tracker circuitry that selects a destination in the memory hierarchy based on selection conditions, allowing data to be fetched into other storage circuits when the tracker circuitry is occupied, thereby reducing the load on the current circuitry and increasing bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the capacity for tracking requests is increased to improve memory bandwidth, then the bandwidth is improved, but the circuitry size increases and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The tracker circuitry is divided into multiple independent tracker entries (first tracker entry, second tracker entry, etc.), each capable of tracking a subset of requests. This segmentation allows the system to track more requests simultaneously by distributing the tracking load across multiple smaller, more power-efficient units rather than one large tracker, thus improving memory bandwidth while controlling power consumption.
2Productivity
If the capacity for tracking requests is increased to improve memory bandwidth, then the bandwidth is improved, but the circuitry reacts more slowly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tracker into multiple smaller tracker entries, each tracker entry can be accessed and updated more quickly. The segmented structure reduces the complexity and access time of individual tracker operations while maintaining the ability to track a larger total number of requests through parallel operation of multiple entries.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects which tracker entry to use based on current conditions, and the tracker circuitry can adaptively manage request allocation across entries. This dynamic approach allows the system to optimize performance by distributing requests across multiple trackers rather than using a single static large tracker, improving both speed and bandwidth.
Data Source
AI summary
Storage circuitry is provided, that is designed to form part of a memory hierarchy. The storage circuitry comprises receiver circuitry for receiving a request to obtain data from the memory hierarchy. Transfer circuitry causes the data to be stored at a selected destination in response to the request, wherein the selected destination is selected in dependence on at least one selection condition. Tracker circuitry tracks the request while the request is unresolved. If at least one selection condition is met then the destination is the storage circuitry and otherwise the destination is other storage circuitry in the memory hierarchy.