MMU description » History » Revision 126
Revision 125 (Andrei Tatarnikov, 01/29/2015 04:15 PM) → Revision 126/132 (Andrei Tatarnikov, 01/29/2015 04:18 PM)
h1. MMU Description
_~By Alexander Kamkin and Taya Sergeeva~_
{{toc}}
A _memory management unit_ (_MMU_) is known to be one of the most complex and error-prone components of a modern microprocessor. MicroTESK has a special subsystem, called _MMU subsystem_, intended for (1) specifying memory devices and (2) deriving testing knowledge from such specifications. The subsystem provides unified facilities for describing memory buffers (like _L1_ and _L2 caches_, _translation look-aside buffers_ (_TLBs_), etc.) as well as a means for connecting several buffers into a memory hierarchy.
h2. Grammar
<pre>
startRule
: declaration* EOF!
;
declaration
: address
| segment
| buffer
| mmu
;
</pre>
The expression syntax is derived from nML/Sim-nML (see [[Sim-nML Language Reference]]).
h2. Address Description (address)
A buffer is accessed by an _address_, which is typically a _bit vector_ of a fixed length (width). Different buffers are allowed to have a common address space (e.g., L1 and L2 are usually both addressed by physical addresses). However, in general case, each buffer has its own domain.
An address space is described using a keyword @address@. The description includes the address type _identifier_ and the address _width_. The latter is specified in brackets. Its value should be non-negative (zero-length addresses are permitted).
h3. Grammar
<pre>
address
: ''address'' addressTypeID ''('' expr '')''
;
</pre>
h3. Examples
<pre>// A 64-bit virtual address (VA).
address VA(64)</pre>
<pre>// A 36-bit physical address (PA).
address PA(36)</pre>
h2. Address Space Segment Description (segment)
An address space segment is specified using the @segment@ keyword. A segment is associated with a specific address type. It is possible to specify any number (≥ 0) of segments (with different names) for one address type. Each segment is characterized by its _identifier_ and _address range_. Different segments should have different names, but address ranges are allowed to overlap, and moreover, to be the same.
h3. Grammar
<pre>
segment
: ''segment'' segmentID ''('' argumentID '':'' addressTypeID '')''
''range'' ''='' ''('' expr '','' expr '')''
;
</pre>
h3. Examples
<pre>
segment USEG (va: VA)
range = (0x0000000000000000, 0x000000007fffffff)
</pre>
h2. Buffer Description (buffer)
A buffer is described using a keyword @buffer@. The description specifies a set of parameters, including @ways@, @sets@, @entry@, @index@, @match@ and @policy@. All of the parameters except @index@ (if @sets = 1@) and @policy@ are obligatory.
h3. Grammar
<pre>
buffer
: ''buffer'' bufferTypeID ''('' addressArgID '':'' addressTypeID '')''
(bufferParameter)*
;
bufferParameter
: ways
| sets
| entry
| index
| match
| policy
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Associativity (ways)
The @ways@ parameter specifies the buffer _associativity_ (the number of lines in a set). The parameter is obligatory; its value should be positive.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
ways
: ''ways'' ''='' expr
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Length (sets)
The @sets@ parameter specifies the buffer _length_ (the number of sets a cache). The parameter is obligatory; its value should be positive.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
sets
: ''sets'' ''='' expr
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Line Format (entry)
The @entry@ parameter specifies the buffer _line format_ (a number of named fields). A field has three attributes: a name, a width and, optionally, an initial value.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
format
: ''entry'' ''='' ''('' field ('','' field)* '')''
;
field
: fieldID '':'' expr (''='' expr)?
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Index Function (index)
The @index@ parameter specifies the _address-to-index function_, which maps an address into the set index. The function may be omitted if the number of sets is @1@.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
index
: ''index'' ''='' expr
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Match Predicate (match)
The @match@ parameter specifies the _address-line match predicate_, which checks if an address matches a line. The parameter is obligatory.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
index
: ''match'' ''='' expr
;
</pre>
h3. Buffer Data Replacement Policy (policy)
The @policy@ parameters specifies the _data replacement_ (_eviction_) _policy_. The parameter is optional. The list of supported policies includes: @RANDOM@, @FIFO@, @PLRU@ and @LRU@.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
policy
: ''policy'' ''='' policyID
;
</pre>
h3. Examples
<pre>
// A 4-way set associative cache (L1) addressed by physical addresses (PA).
buffer L1(addr: PA)
// The cache associativity.
ways = 4
// The number of sets.
sets = 128
// The line format.
entry = (
V : 1 = 0, // The validity flag (by default, the line is invalid).
TAG : 24, // The tag (the <35..12> address bits).
DATA : 256 // The data (4 double words).
)
// The address-to-index function (example: using address fields).
index = addr.INDEX
// The address-line predicate (example: using address bits).
match = addr<35..12> == TAG
// The data replacement policy (example: using predefined policy LRU - Least Recently Used).
policy = LRU
</pre>
h2. MMU Description (mmu)
Memory management unit logic is described using the @mmu@ keyword. The description includes two obligatory parameters @read@ and @write@ that describe the semantics of memory read and memory write actions respectively.
h3. Grammar
<pre>
mmu memory
: ''mmu'' ''memory'' memoryTypeID ''('' addressArgID '':'' addressTypeID '')'' = dataArgID
(memoryParameter)*
;
mmuParameter memoryParameter
: ''read'' ''='' ''{'' sequence ''}'' read
| ''write'' ''='' ''{'' sequence ''}'' write
;
</pre>
h3. Memory Read Action (read)
The @read@ parameter specifies the _read action_, which is a sequence of statements describing how the read operation is to be performed (by means of data transfers between buffers). The parameter is obligatory.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
read
: ''read'' ''='' ''{'' sequence ''}''
;
</pre>
h3. Memory Write Action (write)
The @write@ parameter specifies the _read action_, which is a sequence of statements describing how the write operation is to be performed (by means of data transfers between buffers). The parameter is obligatory.
h4. Grammar
<pre>
write
: ''write'' ''='' ''{'' sequence ''}''
;
</pre>
h3. Examples
<pre>
// A memory unit addressed by virtual addresses (VA).
mmu Memory(addr: VA) = data
// The read action.
read = {
// Some statements.
...
}
// The write action.
write = {
// Some statements.
...
}
</pre>