Patent · US Expired

Enqueue instruction in a system architecture for improved message passing and process synchronization

US6247064A · kind A · utility

32Cited by
11References
22Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 22, 1994
Grant dateJun 12, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 22, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/546
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A system and method for adding a queue entry containing message data to a queue shared by communicating, sequential processes includes an enqueue instruction. The enqueue instruction attaches a queue entry to either the tail or the head of the shared queue, as specified by an application programmer. Execution of the enqueue instruction includes blocking access to the queue by other processes, updating queue linkages, activating processes waiting on entries being made to the queue, monitoring interrupts, and validating the appropriate queue data structures. If desired, in lieu of adding a queue entry containing message data to the queue, the enqueue instruction inserts an event indicator into the shared queue structure, thereby providing synchronization capabilities between communicating processes.

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