Patent · US Expired

Method for managing shared tasks in a multi-tasking data processing system

US6721948B1 · kind B1 · utility

38Cited by
6References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 2000
Grant dateApr 13, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 13, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/52
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for managing tasks in a data processing system having a shared task, which may be performed in hardware, software, or a combination of both. In response to a request from a requesting task, the task manager of the data processing system initiates performance of the shared task on behalf of the requesting task. At selected points in the performance of the shared task, the requesting task may cooperate with the shared task to selectively store watchpoints, each comprising sufficient information about the then-current status of the shared task to allow resumption of that task. During the performance of the shared task, the requesting task can determine if the shared task is still performing that task on behalf of the requesting task. If the requesting task determines that the task manager has interrupted the performance of the shared task on behalf of the requesting task prior to completion thereof, the requesting task may thereafter request the task manager to reinitiate performance of the shared task at the most recently stored watchpoint.

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