Generating monotonically increasing time of day values in multiprocessors

摘要

Method for generating monotonically increasing time-OF-day (TOD) values in a multiprocessor system, comprising: receiving synchronization impulses 532; and refusing an execution of read instruction of a time-of-day value (STCK B) within processor 504 of the system if said execution is requested after a predefined time after a synchronization impulse, and if trigger signal 502a, indicative of new data received by a related memory 202 external to the processor, has been received after the predefined time. The predefined time is the smallest latency for data value transfer between processors. The memory is a shared cache. The synchronisation pulses are received from PLL 530. A time flag is set after the predetermined time is reached while a reject flag is set if time flag is set and the trigger signal is received. TOD execution is rejected if reject flag is set. Said flags are reset upon reception of synchronisation impulses.