Patent ID: 8028297

Claim:
A nonstop program system for continuously running predetermined programs, comprising: a plurality of program subsystems, each of which includes a program accomplishing a required function of said system and variable area storing variable for use in executing the program, the programs of the plurality of program subsystems being independent of each other and having a same content as each other; and a main controller for controlling an active side and an operational state of each program subsystem to run the program on the active side as an active program, said main controller controlling to set an operational state of one of said plurality of program subsystems to an active (ACT) state to cause said one program subsystem as the active side to execute the program in said one program subsystem, and to set the operational state of another of said plurality of program subsystems to a hot standby (HOT SBY) state and to synchronize a variable area of said other program subsystem with a variable area of the active side, thereby alternately switching the operational states of said plurality of program subsystems in a periodical manner, said system switching, when switching the active side, the operational state of said other program subsystem to the ACT state, and using said other program subsystem as the active side to continuously execute the program in said other program subsystem; wherein said system switches, when switching the active side, the operational state of said one program subsystem on the ACT state to a standby (SBY) state, and defragments the variable area of said one program subsystem on the SBY state, and thereafter switches the operational state of said one program subsystem on the SBY state to the HOT SBY state to synchronize the variable area of said one program subsystem with the variable area of said other program subsystem on the active side.