Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for prohibiting access in a multi-cache data processing system to data signal groups being processed by a data processing subsystem

US4982322A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
11References
14Claims
0Family size

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 21, 1989
Grant dateJan 1, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 21, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F12/0815
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

To prevent simultaneous usage of selected data signal groups in a data processing system, techniques are described to restrict such usage. First, with each location capable of storing a data signal group, a register cell can be assigned either in the main memory or in the cache memory units. When a data processing unit requests the data signal group, the register cell associated with each location in which the requested data signal group is stored has a control signal stored therein, and the control signal prohibits usage by another data processing unit. At the end of the activity, the requesting data processing unit removes the register cell control signal from all the locations storing the requested data signal group and the data signal group is then available to any requesting data processing unit. For groups of data signal groups, a file header can contain a control signal in a pre-selected location that identifies to the requesting processing unit that when the signal control is present, the file is unavailable for manipulation. In addition, the presence of the file protect control signal causes the data processing unit to execute a sub-routine, periodically interrogating the …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.