![Digital Equipment Alpha 21164PC Hardware Reference Manual Download Page 104](http://html.mh-extra.com/html/digital-equipment/alpha-21164pc/alpha-21164pc_hardware-reference-manual_2498508104.webp)
4–16
Clocks, Cache, and External Interface
29 September 1997 – Subject To Change
21164PC-to-Bcache Transactions
Figure 4–7 Flush-Based Protocol System/Bus States
4.6 21164PC-to-Bcache Transactions
When initiating an Istream or Dstream data transaction, the 21164PC first probes the
Icache or Dcache, respectively. If the probe misses in the onchip caches, then the
Bcache is probed.
The 21164PC interface to the system and Bcache is controlled by the CBU. The
CBU provides address and control signals for transactions to and from the Bcache
and the system interface logic. The CBU also transfers data across the 128-bit bidi-
rectional data bus.
The 21164PC controls all Bcache transactions and will be able to process read and
write hits to the Bcache without assistance from the system. When system logic
writes to or reads from the Bcache, it transfers data to and from the Bcache, but only
under the direct control of the 21164PC.
4.6.1 Synchronous Burst-Mode Cache Support
The 21164PC supports both pipelined and flow-through SSRAMs. These SSRAMs
provide several new control functions that are capitalized on to deliver a high-perfor-
mance Bcache interface. All control pins driven from the 21164PC to the SSRAMs
are synchronous (except the output enables) and are sampled relative to the SSRAM
clock (st_clk). Figure 4–8 shows the SSRAM/Bcache interface.
PCA017
FLUSH
READ
(DMA Read Operation)
V D
V
V D
I
E
M
READ
(DMA Read Operation)
FLUSH
(DMA Write Operation)
No Data Returned
to System
(DMA Write Operation)
Data Returned
to System
INVAL
INVAL
No Data Returned
to System
Data Returned
to System