System and methods for deadlock detection
US7496918B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2004 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 14, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/524
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A lightweight, concurrent detection mechanism avoids global thread suspension by operating during runtime with threads under examination. A particular configuration combines a dependency (“waits for”) snapshot with a progression check to determine advancement of purportedly deadlocked threads. Thread blocking is enumerated in a table or graph which denotes dependencies of threads and the corresponding resources. For identified circular dependencies, a successive transition, or progression check ratifies the potential deadlock. A transition counter corresponding to each thread is analyzed in the progression check. The transition counter is indicative of a change in state for the process in question, hence is indicative of instruction execution, an activity not performed by a blocked process. Deadlock is therefore ratified if the transition counters associated with the threads in the potential deadlock have not advanced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.