Method of launching low-priority tasks
US7356820B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 2, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 8, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/4843
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A driver is provided to manage launching of tasks at different levels of priority and within the parameters of the firmware interface. The driver includes two anchors for managing the tasks, a dispatcher and an agent. The dispatcher operates at a medium priority level and manages communication from a remote administrator. The agent functions to receive communications from the dispatcher by way of a shared data structure and to launch lower priority level tasks in respond to the communication. The shared data structure stores communications received from the dispatcher. Upon placing the communication in the shared data structure, the dispatcher sends a signal to the agent indicating that a communication is in the data structure for reading by the agent. Following reading of the communication in the data structure, the agent launches the lower priority level task and sends a signal to the data structure indicating the status of the task. Accordingly, a higher level task maintains its level of operation and spawns lower level tasks through the dispatcher in conjunction with the agent.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.