Cache - memory with the possibility of erroneous handle in the case at the same time to update and a decision on the next address to meet

摘要

In a cache memory simultaneously conducting updating for a mishit and a decision on a mishit for the subsequent address, a write flag (15) generated by a control unit (18) is written in a valid flag field (9a). Based on this method, during an access to an external memory at an occurrence of a mishit, a tag field (6a) and the valid flag field are simultaneously updated. When updating a data field (8), a read operation is achieved on the tag and valid flag fields to decide occurrence of a mishit. Thus, an external memory access for a mishit at a next address can be executed at an earlier point of time. Moreover, by the provision of a data latch (21) disposed for an output from the data field, and by reading data at a next address and keeping it in the data latch (21) during a memory read cycle (C1, C3), succeeding hit data can be outputted immediately after a mishit processing is completed. Furthermore, also in a cache memory having a plurality of tag fields (6a, 6b) and a plurality of valid flag fields (9a, 9b), the updating for a mishit and the decision on a mishit for a next address can be attained at the same time.