Appeal No. 1997-3241
Application 08/442,726
specification, Appellants identify that each storage location
(referred to as a slice) includes a ripple counter which
contains a value indicative of the time the data in the slice
was used relative to the data within the buffer’s other
slices. Each of these counters is connected to a comparator
which compares the value of the counter with a reference
value. As described in greater detail on page 16 of
Appellants' specification, the comparison is performed using a
technique whereby the lower order bits of the counter are
compared to the reference value at the same time the ripple
counter is incrementing the higher order bits. This technique
reduces the overall time required to update the counter and
compare the count to the reference value. Additionally, use
of the ripple counter, in lieu of a synchronous counter,
reduces the circuit elements needed in the TLB.
Independent claim 15 is illustrative of the invention.
15. A method, comprising:
initiating an incrementing of a ripple counter of an LRU
portion of a translation lookaside buffer by clocking a low
order bit of said ripple counter; and
comparing an output value of said low order bit of said
ripple counter with a low order bit value of a ripple counter
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Next
Last modified: November 3, 2007