Pacing of multiple producers when information is required in natural order
US6055558A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 28, 1996 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 28, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/544
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for pacing, or controlling, the processing of multiple producers when a consumer requires results from the producers in natural order. This invention regulates the use of system resources between the producers to ensure that the required results are available to the consumer in natural order with minimal waiting and to prevent unneeded advanced processing by the producers. This invention implements a buffer structure such that each producer writes its results to an associated buffer. Each producer compares its buffer's percentage complete against a next and previous producer's buffer. If a producer produces results too rapidly, the producer suspends itself until it is resumed by the consumer or the previous producer. The consumer reads the results from the buffers in producer order.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.