Patent ID: 6148322
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A processing unit for controlling the serial execution of a plurality of tasks, each of which is associated with an execution priority such that said plurality of tasks comprises a high-priority task, a low priority task, and one or more additional tasks with respective priorities between said high-priority task and said low-priority task, said high-priority task and said one or more additional tasks each having associated therewith a respective request condition and termination condition, and said low-priority task being always executable, wherein said processing unit controls the execution of said plurality of tasks by:terminating a currently-executing task upon a satisfaction of the terminating condition associated with said currently-executing task, and initiating a task having a next highest priority, a satisfied request condition, and an unsatisfied terminating condition;aborting a currently-executing task, other than said high-priority task, upon detection of a satisfied request condition for a task having a higher priority than said currently-executing task, and initiating said higher priority task;after said high-priority task fails to release said processing unit and without an external manual intervention, automatically aborting said high-priority task if an elapsed execution time for said high-priority task exceeds a predetermined maximum processing time, regardless of whether the terminating condition for said high-priority task has been satisfied, and initiating a task having a next highest priority, a satisfied request condition, and an unsatisfied terminating condition; andresuming execution of the aborted high-priority task after a deactivation time has elapsed.