Patent ID: 6128709
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A process for controlling an atomic operation in a first register (Oby a data processing system (1, 2), said first register being disposed at a location remote from said data processing system, characterized in that said process comprises two steps followed by a third step which is a function of the result of the first two steps,the first step comprising loading in a second register (81, 82), locally attached to said first register (OPA), a value known by said data processing system (1,2);the second step comprising comparing, locally relative to said first register (OPA), the value of the content of the second register (81, 82) to a current value in said first register (Oand when said value of the content of the second register (81, 82) is equal to the current value in said first register (OPA), replacing said current value with a new value, communicated by the data processing system (1, 2); andthe third step comprising communicating to the data processing system (1, 2) said current value of said first register;the second register (81, 82) is located in a controller (7, 16, 17) locally attached to a memory unit (8) disposed at a location remote from said data processing system (1, 2); andsaid controller (7, 16, 17) comprises a third register (77, 78) having an input operatively connected for receiving data originating from the memory unit (8) and further including the step of writing the current value of the first register (Ointo said controller following a command to partially write a block of the memory unit (8) containing said first register (Oso as to write the new value into said first register (OPA).