Patent · US Expired

Centralized management of resources shared by multiple processing units

US6009275A · kind A · utility

158Cited by
9References
38Claims
0Family size

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Key dates

Filing dateOct 15, 1996
Grant dateDec 28, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 15, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F2209/503
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Resource allocation logic for a computer system including a plurality of processors which share access to, and control of, a plurality of resources, such as disk drive units or busses. The resource allocation logic coordinates the execution of requests received from the processors to avoid resource sharing inefficiencies and deadlock situations. The allocation logic maintains a "request" queue for each processor, seeking to satisfy all requests quickly and fairly. The queues contain an entry corresponding to each request received from its corresponding processor and an identification of resources that are required by the entry's corresponding request. The allocation logic also maintains a "resources available" status array of resources which are not currently in use by any processors, or are not reserved for future use by any processors. The logic repeatedly compares each entry in the request queues with the entries in the resources available status array to detect an entry in the request queue identifying resources all of which are contained in the resources available status array. Once the allocation logic can satisfy a particular request, it signals a grant to the requesting pro…

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