Method and apparatus for dynamic work reassignment among asymmetric, coupled processors
US5301324A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 19, 1992 |
| Grant date | Apr 5, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 19, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/5055
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A tightly-coupled processor complex comprises two or more processors, the complex being asymmetric in that a feature available on one processor is not available on at least one other processor. A work selection mechanism selects one of a set of one or more ready work units, each capable of execution on one or more of the asymmetric processors. A processor set identification function identifies an "indirect idle" set of processors which can participate as hosts in work reassignment to make use of a previously idle processor, and identifies an "indirect bump" set of processors which can participate as hosts in work reassignment to displace a lowest priority work unit previously executing - any work reassignment being initiated by an assigner means and comprising an optimized number of work reassignment steps reassigning work among one of the processor sets to accomplish a related assignment goal (making use of a previously idle processor, or displacing a lowest priority work unit).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.