Patent ID: 7272632

Claim:
A distributed system which makes n computers, which are connected via a network, operate synchronously, and provides multiplexing of at least (n−f) computers, n being an integer and f being a maximum integer where 3f<n, each computer comprising: an input candidate collection device configured to collect input data items, each of which is selected as a next candidate to be processed by each of n computers, via the network; a first input candidate selection control device configured to determine whether not less than (n−f) input data items having identical contents are present, when the input candidate collection device has collected the not less than (n−f) input data items, and to settle one of the input data items having identical contents as next data to be processed, when the not less than (n−f) input data items having the identical contents are present; a second input candidate selection control device configured to determine whether or not half of the collected input data items having identical contents are present, when the first input candidate selection control device determines that the not less than (n−f) input data items having identical contents are not present, and to cause the input candidate collection device to reexecute collection after selecting the input data item as a self candidate and discard all the input data items of other candidates, when over half of the collected input data items are present; a third input candidate selection control device configured to cause the input candidate collection device to reexecute collection after arbitrarily selecting an input data item from the collected input data items as a self candidate and discarding all input data items of other candidates, when the second input candidate selection control device determines that over half of the collected input data items are not present; and a journal device configured to hold the input data item settled by the first input candidate selection control device, and each of the first input candidate selection control device, the second input control input candidate selection control device, and the third candidate selection control device including: a first input candidate adjustment control device configured to send the input data item held in the journal device as a settled input data item, when another computer collects an input data item of a step that has already been settled in the computer, and a second input candidate adjustment control device configured to settle an input data item as next data to be processed, when the input data item is sent from another computer as a settled input data item upon collecting input data items by the input candidate collection device.