Patent ID: 7805727

Claim:
A computer storage storing executable instructions to cause a processing system to perform a method to control the activation of a sequence of tasks, the processing system comprising at least one processing unit and each task of the tasks having a current state, the method comprising: a. determining tasks which require synchronization; b. adding a reference to each task of the tasks which require synchronization to a synchronization list, the reference including a task state request indicating a requested state for the task and a time frame offset indicating a relative time frame during which to place the task in the requested state; c. for each task in the synchronization list: i. setting a state flag indicating the requested state; and ii. determining a modify time frame in which to place the task in the requested state based on the time frame offset; and d. in a current time frame subsequent to the completion of the performance of element c, performing the following elements for each task which requires synchronization: i. determining whether the requested state is equal to the current state of the task; ii. if the requested state is not equal to the current state of the task and the current time frame equals the modify time frame for the task, modifying the current state of the task to cause the current state of the task to be the requested state; and iii. if the current state of the task is active, executing the task.