Patent · US Expired

Multi-tasking low-power controller having multiple program counters

US5630130A · kind A · utility

94Cited by
4References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 22, 1994
Grant dateMay 13, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 22, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/462
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A multitasking controller comprising task storage means (2) for storing up to N tasks (P0,P1,P2,P3) each comprising a sequence of instructions, a microprocessor for processing, by time-sharing, a plurality of such N tasks, and a random access memory (12) for storing variable data created and used by said microprocessor. The microprocessor further comprises a scheduler (7) realized in hardware for controlling the use of said microprocess or by such processes, and program counter storage means for storing N program counters (Pc0,Pc1,Pc2,Pc3) each for use by the scheduler (7) is able select a different one of the program counters (Pc0,Pc1,Pc2,Pc3) when the task processed by the microprocessor is changed without the transfer of data from the random access memory (12). FIG. 1

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