Software architecture for control of highly parallel computer systems
US5692193A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 31, 1994 |
| Grant date | Nov 25, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 31, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F8/451
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer software architecture for controlling a highly parallel computer system comprises several layers of abstraction. The first layer is an abstract physical machine which contains a set of abstract physical processors. This layer may be considered as a microkernel. The next layer includes virtual machines and virtual processors. A virtual machine comprises a virtual address space and a set of virtual processors that are connected in a virtual topology. Virtual machines are mapped onto abstract physical machines with each virtual processor mapped onto an abstract physical processor. The third layer of abstraction defines threads. Threads are lightweight processes that run on virtual processors. In a preferred embodiment the abstract physical machines, abstract physical processors, virtual machines, virtual processors, thread groups, and threads are all first class objects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.