[Home] [This version is outdated, a new version is here]
*Title...
*Search:...
*Read Me/FAQ/General Info...
*_IBM...
*ACC Micro...
*ALD...
*ALi...
*AMD . . . . . . . [no datasheets, some info]...
*Chips & Technologies...
*Contaq  . . . . . [no datasheets, some info]...
*Efar Microsystems [no datasheets, some info]...
*ETEQ...
*Faraday...
*Forex . . . . . . [List only, no datasheets found]...
*Intel...
**82385       32-bit Cache Controller for 80386               09/29/87
***Notes:...
***Info:
The 82385 Cache Controller is a high performance 32-bit peripheral for
Intel's 80386 Microprocessor. It  stores a copy of frequently accessed
code  and data  from main  memory  in a  zero wait  state local  cache
memory. The  82385 enables the 80386  to run at its  full potential by
reducing the  average number  of CPU wait  states to nearly  zero. The
dual  bus architecture  of the  82385 allows  other masters  to access
system resources  while the 80386  operates locally out of  its cache.
In  this situation,  the  82385's "bus  watching" mechanism  preserves
cache coherency by monitoring the  system bus address lines at no cost
to system or local throughput.

The 82385 is completely software transparent, protecting the integrity
of system  software. High performance  and board savings  are achieved
because  the  82385  integrates   a  cache  directory  and  all  cache
management logic on one chip.

1.0 82385 FUNCTIONAL OVERVIEW
Th~ 82385 Cache Controller is a high performance 32-bit peripheral for
Intel's 80386  microprocessor.  This  chapter provides an  overview of
the 82385,  and of the basic  architecture and operation  of an 80386/
82385 system.

1.1 82385 OVERVIEW

The main  function of a cache  memory system is to  provide fast local
storage  for  frequently accessed  code  and  data.  The cache  system
intercepts 80386 memory references to see if the required data resides
in the cache. If the data resides in the cache (a hit), it is returned
to the 80386 without incurring wait  states. If the data is not cached
(a  miss), the  reference  is forwarded  to  the system  and the  data
retrieved from main memory. An  efficient cache will yield a high "hit
rate" (the ratio of cache hits to total 80386 accesses), such that the
majority  of accesses  are serviced  with  zero wait  states. The  net
effect is  that the  wait states incurred  in a  relatively infrequent
miss are  averaged over  a large number  of accesses, resulting  in an
average of  nearly zero wait states  per access. Since  cache hits are
serviced locally, a  processor operating out of its  local cache has a
much  lower  "bus  utilization"  which reduces  system  bus  bandwidth
requirements, making more bandwidth available to other bus masters.

The 82385 Cache Controller integrates  a cache directory and all cache
management logic required  to support an external 32  Kbyte cache. The
cache  directory structure is  such that  the entire  physical address
range of the  80386 (4 Gigabytes) is mapped  into the cache. Provision
is made to allow areas of memory to be set aside a non-cacheable.  The
user has two  cache organization options: direct mapped  and 2-way set
associative.   Both provide  the high  hit rates  necessary to  make a
large, relatively slow  main memory array look like  a fast, zero wait
state memory to the 80386.

A  good hit  rate is  an essential  ingredient of  a  successful cache
implementation. Hit rate  is the measure ,of how  efficient a cache is
in maintaining a copy of  the most frequently requested code and data.
However,   efficiency  is   not  the   only  factor   for  performance
consideration.   Just  as   essential  are   sound   cache  management
policies.  These  policies refer  to  the  handling  of 80386  writes,
preservation  of  cache coherency,  and  ease  of  system design.  The
82385's  "posted   write"  capability  allows   80386  memory  writes,
including non-cacheable, to run with zero wait states, and the 82385's
"bus watching"  mechanism preserves cache coherency with  no impact on
system performance.  Physically, the 82385 ties directly  to the 80386
with virtually no external logic.

***Versions:...
***Features:...
**82385SX     32-bit Cache Controller for 80386SX             01/25/89...
**82395DX     High Performance Smart Cache                    06/18/90...
**82395SX     Smart Cache                                     12/17/90
***Notes:...
**82396SX     Smart Cache                                     12/17/90...
**82485       Turbo Cache (and 485Turbocache)                      c90...
**82489DX       Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller    10/12/92...
**82495DX/490DX DX CPU-Cache Chip Set                           <Sep91...
**82495XP/490XP Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for i860)       06/05/91...
**82496/491     Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P5 Pentium) 03/22/93...
**82497/492   Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P54 Pentium)    <Nov94...
**82498/493   Cache Controller / Cache RAM (for P54 Pentium)    <Nov94...
**
**Later chipsets (basic spec):
**440 series:...
**450NX  (?)            06/29/98:...
**?????  (Profusion)    c:99...
**800 series...
*Headland/G2...
*HMC (Hulon Microelectronics)...
*Logicstar...
*Motorola...
*OPTi...
*PC CHIPS/Amptron/Atrend/ECS/Elpina/etc...
*SIS...
*Symphony...
*TI (Texas Instruments)...
*UMC...
*Unresearched:...
*VIA...
*VLSI...
*Western Digital...
*Winbond...
*ZyMOS...
*General Sources:...

(c) Copyright mR_Slugs Warehouse - All rights Reserved