[54] FAST MULTIPLE-WORD ACCESSES FROM A MULTI-WAY SET-ASSOCIATIVE CACHE MEMORY
[75] Inventors: John F. Shelton, Aptos; Richard J.
Carter, Palo Alto, both of Calif.
[73] Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, Calif.
[21] Appl. No.: 382,158
[22] Filed: Jul. 19, 1989
[51] Int. CI.5 G06F 13/00; Gl 1C 7/00
[52] U.S. a 395/425; 364/243.4;
364/243.41; 364/264.4; 364/DIG. 1;
365/189.02; 365/230.03 [58] Field of Search ... 364/200 MS File, 900 MS File;
365/49, 189.02, 230.01, 230.03
[56] References Gted
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Primary Examiner—Michael R. Fleming
Assistant Examiner—Gopal C. Ray
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Roland I. Griffin; Alan H.
Haggard
[57] ABSTRACT
A multi-way set-associative cache memory stores data in a plurality of random access memories. Data in the multi-way set-associative cache memory is organized in lines of data. The multi-way set-associative cache memory allows access of single words and allows access of multiple-words of a length specific to the multi-way set-associative cache memory. Within the plurality of random access memories, data are placed such that corresponding words of each line of data is placed in different random access memories. Further, each word from each multiple word is placed in different random access memories. For single word access, one word is accessed from one of the plurality of random access memories. For multiple-word access, one word from each of the plurality of random access memories is accessed.
17 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets
