Patent · US Expired

Multi-tasking software architecture

US6877157B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
7References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 27, 2000
Grant dateApr 5, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 8, 2023

Classification

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

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer program product comprising semaphore means for stalling a first task until one of a predetermined set of events occurs. The computer program product comprises specific message files associated with said first task for receiving data to be processed by the first task. The occurrence of one of said set of predetermined events causes a piece of data to be written in one of the associated messages files. The computer program in accordance with the invention can be implemented by using any operating system having basic synchronization tools. Such synchronization tools include semaphore means for causing a task to be waiting for a unique event such as the release of the semaphore by another task. They also include blocking mechanisms for temporarily blocking “interruptions” coming from interruption handlers during data writing (message reception) in the message files associated with the first task. The invention, in effect, provides an equivalent to the “select mechanism” but uses only very basic synchronization tools so as to be suitable for embedded systems.

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