Method and system for regulating communication traffic using a limiter thread

• US 20030051064A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Curtis, Bryce Allen
• Granted Patent: US 7,299,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

A methodology for using multiple execution threads to regulate message traffic is presented. An application thread spawns a limiter thread, and each have access in shared memory to a message count that reflects a number of messages that are transmitted by the application thread within a regulated time period. The limiter thread cycles by entering a sleep state for the regulated time period, resetting the message count upon awakening, and then reentering a sleep state. The application thread executes a loop that compares the message count against a maximum number of messages for the regulated time period; if the comparison is favorable, then another message is transmitted and the message count is adjusted. If the comparison is not favorable, then the application thread enters a sleep state; after awakening, it repeats the comparison, and depending on the result, it transmits a message or reenters a sleep state.

Claims

1. A method for regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes in a data processing system, the method comprising:

starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory, wherein the message count variable represents a number of messages that are transmitted by the first thread or process within a first time unit;

sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit;

in response to an awakening of the second thread or process, resetting the message count variable by the second thread or process and re-sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit;

comparing the message count variable with a predetermined count value on the first thread or process;

in response to a first comparative result, sleeping the first thread or process for a second time unit;

in response to an awakening of the first thread or process, repeating the comparison step on the first thread or process; and

in response to a second comparative result, adjusting the message count variable and transmitting a message on the first thread or process.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

stopping the second thread or process after the first thread or process has completed its transmission of messages.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the second time period is substantially shorter than the first time period.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to zero and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by incrementing the message count variable.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to a non-zero number and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by decrementing the message count variable.

6. A method for regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes in a data processing system, the method comprising:

starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory;

periodically resetting the message count variable from the second thread or process;

transmitting a message from the first thread or process while the message count variable has a first comparative relationship with a threshold value;

waiting to transmit a message in the first thread or process while the message count variable has a second comparative relationship with the threshold value; and

adjusting the message count variable from the first thread or process when a message is transmitted by the first thread or process.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to zero and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by incrementing the message count variable.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to a non-zero number and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by decrementing the message count variable.

9. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory, wherein the message count variable represents a number of messages that are transmitted by the first thread or process within a first time unit;

instructions for sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit;

instructions for resetting the message count variable by the second thread or process and re-sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit in response to an awakening of the second thread or process;

instructions for comparing the message count variable with a predetermined count value on the first thread or process;

instructions for sleeping the first thread or process for a second time unit in response to a first comparative result;

instructions for repeating the comparison step on the first thread or process in response to an awakening of the first thread or process; and

instructions for adjusting the message count variable and transmitting a message on the first thread or process in response to a second comparative result.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising:

instructions for stopping the second thread or process after the first thread or process has completed its transmission of messages.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the second time period is substantially shorter than the first time period.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to zero and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by incrementing the message count variable.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to a non-zero number and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by decrementing the message count variable.

14. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory;

instructions for periodically resetting the message count variable from the second thread or process;

instructions for transmitting a message from the first thread or process while the message count variable has a first comparative relationship with a threshold value;

instructions for waiting to transmit a message in the first thread or process while the message count variable has a second comparative relationship with the threshold value; and

instructions for adjusting the message count variable from the first thread or process when a message is transmitted by the first thread or process.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to zero and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by incrementing the message count variable.

16. The computer program product of claim 14 wherein the second thread or process resets the message count variable to a non-zero number and the first thread or process adjusts the message count variable by decrementing the message count variable.

17. An apparatus for regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes, the apparatus comprising:

means for starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory, wherein the message count variable represents a number of messages that are transmitted by the first thread or process within a first time unit;

means for comparing the message count variable with a predetermined count value on the first thread or process;

means for sleeping the first thread or process for a second time unit in response to a first comparative result;

means for repeating the comparison step on the first thread or process in response to an awakening of the first thread or process;

means for adjusting the message count variable in response to a second comparative result; and

means for transmitting a message on the first thread or process in response to a second comparative result.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising:

means for sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit;

means for resetting the message count variable by the second thread or process in response to an awakening of the second thread or process; and

means for re-sleeping the second thread or process for the first time unit in response to an awakening of the second thread or process.

19. An apparatus for regulating an amount of generated communication traffic using multiple execution threads or processes, the apparatus comprising:

means for starting a first thread or process and a second thread or process, wherein the first thread or process and the second thread or process access a message count variable in shared memory;

means for periodically resetting the message count variable from the second thread or process;

means for transmitting a message from the first thread or process while the message count variable has a first comparative relationship with a threshold value;

means for waiting to transmit a message in the first thread or process while the message count variable has a second comparative relationship with the threshold value; and

means for adjusting the message count variable from the first thread or process when a message is transmitted by the first thread or process.