Patent ID: 7725591
Filing Date: 2010-05-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting a timeout of elements in an element processing system wherein “n” elements are being processed, and a timer value, indicating a timeout interval with respect to a given time base, is assigned to each of the elements when processed, the method comprising: determining the timer value having a minimum timeout interval of the timer values assigned to the “n” elements being transmitted; detecting if the determined timer value has expired in order to detect a timeout of its assigned element; wherein the step of determining the timer value is performed in a number of stages arranged in a cascade and having a first stage and a last stage, wherein the following steps are performed in the first stage: dividing up the “n” timer values into timer value sets each containing “d” timer values; for each of the timer value sets, determining a minimum timer value having the minimum timeout interval of any of the timer values; providing minimum timer values for each of the timer value sets to a succeeding stage; wherein in the last stage, a step of determining an overall minimum timer value from the minimum timer values provided to the succeeding stage is performed.