Patent ID: 7243354

Claim:
A multi thread management method comprising: executing a buffer ring initialization process that resets variables utilized to track receipt and distribution of information product elements in a buffer ring having a plurality of slots; receiving, at the buffer ring, information product elements for distribution to a thread; performing a product loading process in which the received information product elements are stored and tracked in one or more consecutive slots in the buffer ring in accordance with an assignment for distribution of the information product elements to a particular thread while incrementing a first variable from a most recently filled slot to a next consecutive slot as the information product elements are stored, wherein the next consecutive slot is an empty slot; and implementing a consumer forwarding process in which each of said received information product elements is forwarded from the consecutive slots in the buffer ring in accordance with said assignment for distribution to a particular thread while incrementing a second variable from a most recently consumed slot to a next consecutive slot in the buffer ring, wherein the next consecutive slot includes a received product information element; and wherein the multithread management method further comprises: obtaining control of a buffer ring; setting an index variables to reflect a segment of the buffer ring to be consumed; releasing control of the buffer ring except for an identified consumption segment; forwarding information from the identified consumption segment; and relinquishing control of the identified consumption segment.