Thread optimization for lock and unlock operations in a multi-thread environment

• US 20030233393A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 12/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Xiao-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/526 Mutual exclusion algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a first reference to a first object is recorded in a first list when a first thread in a multi-thread environment invokes a lock operation on the first object. A thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object in the first list is restored when a second thread is created.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recording a first reference to a first object in a first list when a first thread in a multi-thread environment invokes a lock operation on the first object; and

restoring a thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object in the first list when a second thread is created.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the first reference from the first list when the first thread invokes an unlock operation on the first object.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein restoring the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object comprises:

restoring the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

recording a second reference to a second object in a second list when the second thread invokes the lock operation on the second object, the second reference being absent in the first list; and

restoring the thread-safe locking mechanism on the second object in the second list when one of the first thread and a third thread attempts to access the second object.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

removing the second reference from the second list when the second thread invokes an unlock operation on the second object.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein recording the first reference comprises:

storing the first reference in a data structure; and

updating a pointer to the data structure to point to a next location in the data structure.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein restoring comprises:

performing one of a safe lock operation and a safe unlock operation using an atomic operation.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein removing comprises:

updating the pointer to the data structure to bypass the first reference.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein storing the first reference comprises:

storing the first reference in one of an array, a linked list, and a stack.

11. An article of manufacture comprises:

a machine-accessible medium including data that, when accessed by a machine, causes the machine to;

record a first reference to a first object in a first list when a first thread in a multi-thread environment invokes a lock operation on the first object; and

restore a thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object in the first list when a second thread is created.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the machine-accessible medium further comprises data that, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

remove the first reference from the first list when the first thread invokes an unlock operation on the first object.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the machine-accessible medium further comprises data that, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

determine if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein the data causing the machine to restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object comprises data, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein the machine-accessible medium further comprises data that, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

record a second reference to a second object in a second list when the second thread invokes the lock operation on the second object, the second reference being absent in the first list; and

restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the second object in the second list when one of the first thread and a third thread attempts to access the second object.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the machine-accessible medium further comprises data that, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

remove the second reference from the second list when the second thread invokes an unlock operation on the second object.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein the data causing the machine to record the first reference comprises data, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

store the first reference in a data structure; and

update a pointer to the data structure to point to a next location in the data structure.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein the data causing the machine to restore comprises data, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

perform one of a safe lock operation and a safe unlock operation using an atomic operation.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 17 wherein the data causing the machine to remove comprises data, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

update the pointer to the data structure to bypass the first reference.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein the data causing the machine to store the first reference comprises data, when accessed by the machine, causes the machine to:

store the first reference in one of an array, a linked list, and a stack.

21. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor to store a thread manager, the thread manager when executed, causing the processor to;

record a first reference to a first object in a first list when a first thread in a multi-thread environment invokes a lock operation on the first object; and

restore a thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object in the first list when a second thread is created.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the thread manager when executed, further causing the processor to:

remove the first reference from the first list when the first thread invokes an unlock operation on the first object.

23. The system of claim 21 the thread manager when executed, further causing the processor to:

determine if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the thread manager causing the processor to restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object causes the processor to:

restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object if the second thread attempts to access the first object.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the thread manager when executed, further causes the processor to:

record a second reference to a second object in a second list when the second thread invokes the lock operation on the second object, the second reference being absent in the first list; and

restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the second object in the second list when one of the first thread and a third thread attempts to gain access to the second object.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the thread manager further causes the processor to:

remove the second reference from the second list when the second thread invokes an unlock operation on the second object.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the thread manager causing the processor to record causes the processor to:

store the first reference in a data structure; and

update a pointer to the data structure to point to a next location in the data structure.

28. The system of claim 25 wherein the thread manager causing the processor to restore the thread-safe locking mechanism on the first object causes the processor to:

perform one of a safe lock operation and a safe unlock operation using an atomic operation.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the thread manager causing the processor to remove causes the processor to:

update the pointer to the data structure to bypass the first reference.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the thread manager when executed, causing the processor to causes the processor to store the first reference, causes the processor to:

store the first reference in one of an array, a linked list, and a stack.