Group and virtual locking mechanism for inter processor synchronization
US6529983B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 3, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 3, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2209/522
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A group and virtual locking mechanism (GVLM) addresses two classes of synchronization present in a system having resources that are shared by a plurality of processors: (1) synchronization of the multi-access shared resources; and (2) simultaneous requests for the shared resources. The system is a programmable processing engine comprising an array of processor complex elements, each having a microcontroller processor. The processor complexes are preferably arrayed as rows and columns. Broadly stated, the novel GVLM comprises a lock controller function associated with each column of processor complexes and lock instructions executed by the processors that manipulate the lock controller to create a tightly integrated arrangement for issuing lock requests to the shared resources.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.