Scheduling mechanism using predetermined limited execution time processing threads in a communication network
US6085215A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 17, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 4, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 17, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4887
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Method and apparatus for avoiding receive livelock and transmit starvation, and for minimizing packet loss and latency in a communication network station. The invention uses a combination of processing threads, polling and, in a preferred embodiment, a judicious use of interrupts, to allocate the use of processing resources fairly among competing functions. Real time processing threads are structured to execute for a preselected maximum time interval, based on numbers of units processed by each thread, and then to yield control to a thread scheduler, which selects and invokes a new thread for execution. Work to be done in the various threads is determined either by polling or by an interrupt system, and then posted to the threads for execution. If interrupts are used, interrupt service routines perform only the minimal processing needed to recognize an interrupt, other interrupt servicing functions being deferred for execution in a processing thread. The thread scheduler operates on a round-robin basis and also selects from at least one general purpose processing thread for functions that are less time critical, the general purpose thread being structured to operate for a selected …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.