In a control unit having a external storage device, a method for selecting a loading method of data stored in the cache memory into the cache memory in accordance with an access pattern to the data, and an apparatus therefor are disclosed. The selection of the loading method is selection of control mode or procedure in accordance with the loading method, and it is attained by a learn function.

A data bus has a bit length of 2 words, and is divided into two bit groups, each of which corresponds to one word. Therefore, the data bus can simultaneously transfer data of two words. A register, a data operation part of a CPU, a RAM and a ROM is connected to the data bus. Even if there is generated data of two words to be transferred in these registers, the data operation part, the RAM and the ROM, the data bus can simultaneously transfer the data. In order to prevent conflict of data on the data bus, there are provided a bus driver, a multiplexer and a bus selector.

A cache memory operates in a first mode, in which a cache hit occurs, and in a second mode, in which a cache miss occurs. A data processor operates in a first state in which instructions are accessed from memory and in a second state in which data is accessed from memory. Cache memory has a condition setting circuit which distinguishes instruction caching from a data caching. The processor sends an access-type signal which is compared with the access-type set in the condition setting circuit. When the access-type signal does not coincide with the contents of the condition setting circuit, a third state is declared which links the main memory and cache memory.

In a computer system, digital signals are transmitted from an output register, propagated along a first signaling path, and received by an input register. The signaling path including an address buffer, a cache memory, a main memory, and an interconnect network. The effects of the intrinsic delays experienced by the digital signals are measured as a delay value relative to a reference clock signal propagated through a second signaling path duplicating the delays of the first signaling path. The delay value is used to selectively delay the digital signal to maintain a fixed relationship between the transmitted and received digital signals. Delay measuring and regulation is provided by driving the reference and digital signals through comparable tapped delay lines, the output taps of a measuring delay line controlling the output taps of a delaying line. Storage latches are provide to hold the measured delay value stable between successive samples.

An information processing apparatus which includes a main memory for storing a plurality of data blocks each having a predetermined size stores a plurality of data blocks. Each data block includes a plurality of words, and each word includes a plurality of byte data. A data memory section in a cache memory for storing a small amount of data as compared with that of the main memory to achieve high-speed processing transfers data from/to the main memory in units of data blocks. A microprocessor generates a request address including desired data block and word addresses in order to access a plurality of desired words in a desired data block in the data memory section. A comparator determines whether a data block corresponding to the data block address is present in the data memory section. The microprocessor reads a plurality of words corresponding to the word address in the plurality of words in the corresponding data block from the data memory section in response to an output from the comparator.