Patent ID: 6029205
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
In a computer system executing a plurality of processes controlled by a computer operating system, the computer system having at least one processor and a main storage unit accessible by the plurality of processes, units of data storage residing in the main storage unit called queue banks, each queue bank being capable of representing a queue header element or a queue entry element of a queue, each queue including one queue header and zero or more queue entries, a queue being the mechanism by which processes can communicate with each other and containing attributes describing its use, a queue entry being used for storing a group of data signals, a method of interprocess communication comprising the steps of:(a) creating a queue in the main storage unit;(b) storing a group of data signals to be transferred from a first process to a second process into a queue entry that is not currently enqueued to said queue;(c) adding said queue entry to said queue as a result of said first process directing the processor to execute an enqueue instruction, whereby execution of said enqueue instruction configures hardware to prevent said first process from gaining further access to said queue entry; and(d) removing said queue entry from said queue as a result of said second process directing the processor to execute a dequeue instruction, whereby execution of said dequeue instruction configures hardware to allow said second process to gain access to said queue entry.