Address translation unit for translation of virtual address to real address using translation tables of multi-level hierarchical structure

Claim 1

An address translation unit for use in a system having means translating a virtual address to a real address by using a group of address translation tables having a hierarchical structure, wherein entries of each address translation table except that of a highest level each indicate a start address of an address translation table of a next adjacent level, wherein entries of each address translation table of the highest level indicate a real address and wherein each virtual address has plural address parts coresponding to different levels of said group of address translation tables and each indicating a location of an entry within one of said address translation tables of a corresponding level, said address translation unit comprising: a translation look-aside buffer for holding entries each comprised of (1) an address pair consisting of a virtual address and a corresponding real address, and (2) a group of start addresses for the address translation tables required to be accessed for translation of the virtual address of that entry to the corresponding real address; select means connected to said translation look-aside buffer and responsive to an applied virtual address for searching the entries of said translation look-aside buffer for an entry which has a virtual address having the largest number of consecutive address parts, starting from an address part corresponding to the lowest level, which coincide with corresponding address parts of the applied virtual address, including means for providing a real address within the entry when all of the address parts of the entry coincide with the address parts of the applied virtual address and for providing, from said entry having the largest number of coinciding address parts, that one of the group of start addresses within the entry which is the start address of an address translation table having the higher level next to a highest level among levels corresponding to consecutive coincident address parts, when all address parts of the entry and the applied virtual address do not coincide; and translation means responsive to the applied virtual address and said one start address from said select means for translating the applied virtual address by accessing said address translation tables, starting from that one having said one start address and based upon address parts of the applied virtual address corresponding to a level equal to or larger than the next level.