Patent ID: 6604160
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of operating a computing system to arbitrate access among multiple tasks to shared computing resource items, comprising operations of:providing a priority matrix identifying different types of tasks, and prescribing different conflict resolution solutions for potential conflicts of various combinations of the different types of tasks for use of the resource items; providing an in-use registry identifying the resource items being used and the tasks using such resources; responsive to receiving each use-request from a task for access to a targeted resource item, performing use-initiation operations on behalf of the use-requesting task, comprising: determining whether the targeted resource item is already in-use by another one of the tasks; if the targeted resource item is already in-use, performing preexisting use operations comprising: consulting the priority matrix to identify an appropriate conflict resolution solution applicable to the use-requesting task and the task presently using the targeted resource item; only if the identified conflict resolution solution allows the use-requesting task to obtain use of the targeted resource item to the exclusion of the task presently using the targeted resource item, submitting a takeaway request and after the task presently using the targeted resource item relinquishes use then entering the use-requesting task into the in-use registry in association with the targeted resource item; and during use of each resource item by an owning task, performing giveaway operations on behalf of the owning task, comprising: detecting arrival of prescribed recovery events; responsive to arrival of each recovery event, determining whether any takeaway request is pending for the resource item; if any takeaway request is pending, consulting the priority matrix to identify an appropriate conflict resolution solution applicable to the owning task and the task that submitted the takeaway request; if the identified conflict resolution solution requires the owning task to surrender the resource item, advising the owning task to relinquish use of the resource item and removing the owning task from the in-use registry.