TLB Clustering with Variable Offset Bits
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing memory address translation systems, particularly translation lookaside buffers (TLBs), face limitations in storing and efficiently managing memory address translations due to their limited size, which can lead to increased storage overhead and reduced effectiveness in translating virtual memory addresses to physical addresses, especially when dealing with non-contiguous memory address ranges.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a TLB clustering technique that uses n-bit offsets for virtual memory address translations and m-bit offsets for physical memory address translations, where n and m are positive integers and n is different from m, allowing for more efficient storage of memory address translations by increasing the number of bits available for PA offsets, thereby enhancing storage efficiency and reducing the overall size of the TLB while maintaining latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the TLB stores more memory address translations to improve translation effectiveness, then the storage overhead increases and the TLB size grows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the memory address translation storage into multiple sets of clustered TLB entries. Each cluster contains multiple translation entries that share common base address fields, allowing the TLB to store more translations effectively by organizing them in a segmented, hierarchical structure rather than as individual isolated entries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by creating TLB entry structures that can serve multiple translation purposes simultaneously. The clustered entries with shared base fields allow a single TLB structure to handle multiple virtual-to-physical address translations efficiently, increasing the functional capacity without proportionally increasing physical size.
2Quantity of substance
If the TLB size is reduced to decrease storage overhead, then fewer memory address translations can be stored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by embedding multiple translation entries within a single TLB cluster structure. The clustered entries nest shared base address fields and control logic, allowing multiple translations to be contained within a compact unified structure that occupies less space than individual separate entries would require.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple translation entries into unified clusters that share common fields and control mechanisms. By combining entries that have common base address portions into single clustered structures, the TLB reduces overall size while maintaining the ability to store and access multiple distinct translations through the shared structure.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of bits for PA offsets is increased to improve storage efficiency, then the complexity of the address translation structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the bit allocation for offset fields based on specific translation requirements. Different clusters or entry types can have different offset bit widths (n-bit and m-bit offsets) optimized for their specific translation needs, rather than using a uniform structure throughout, thereby improving storage efficiency without uniformly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes parameters by allowing flexible configuration of offset bit widths (n and m) for different translation scenarios. This parameter variability enables the TLB to optimize storage efficiency for different address space requirements while managing complexity through standardized interfaces and consistent cluster organization patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
Circuitry comprises a translation lookaside buffer to store data representing memory address translations, each memory address translation being between an input memory address range defining a contiguous range of one or more input memory addresses in an input memory address space and a translated output memory address range defining a contiguous range of one or more output memory addresses in an output memory address space; in which the translation lookaside buffer comprises a plurality of memory elements to store one or more arrays each having a base input memory address, a base output memory address and a plurality of entries each mapping an n-bit offset to an m-bit offset, each entry representing a memory address translation of an input memory address range defined by the respective n-bit offset relative to the base input memory address to a translated output memory address range defined by the respective m-bit offset relative to the base output memory address; in which n and m are positive integers and n is different to m.