Portable data-processing terminal

• US 20030110202A1
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Innovations Ltd Hong Kong (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Shitahaku, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores

Abstract

A cellular phone has a competition manager for controlling a competition between an inquiry task which inquires whether or not the inquiry task is allowed to start and a competing task having a competition with the inquiry task because these two of the tasks use a common lower-level functional unit. The competition manager is implemented by a competition management program which is independent from other application programs.

Claims

1. A portable data-processing terminal comprising a CPU, a plurality of task programs on which said CPU runs for achieving a plurality of tasks, and a competition manager for controlling a competition between two of said tasks, said competition manager supplying instructions to two of said tasks having a competition therebetween before one of said two of said tasks starts for operation.

2. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 1, wherein said competition manager receives an inquiry from said one (inquiry task) of said tasks as to whether or not said inquiry task is allowed to start, and judges whether or not a competition arises between said inquiry task and another of said tasks.

3. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 2, wherein said competition manager is implemented by a competition manager program on which said CPU runs.

4. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 2, wherein said competition manager includes a competition detection section for detecting a competition between said inquiry task and another of said tasks, a judgement section for determining instructions for said inquiry task and a competing task, and a notification section for notifying said instructions to said inquiry task and said competing task.

5. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 4, wherein said competition detection section retrieves current status data having current status information of said tasks, and said judgement section retrieves instruction data tabulating instructions for each two of said tasks having a possible competition therebetween.

6. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 5, wherein said current status data includes active, inactive, held and interrupted states for said tasks.

7. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 2, wherein said instructions to said inquiry task include allow, hold and discard of start of said inquiry task.

8. The portable data-processing terminal according to claim 2, wherein said instructions to competing tasks include continue, end, interrupt and start of operation of said competing tasks.