Processing events for concurrent tasks in a virtual machine

• US 20050183083A1
• Filed: 02/18/2004
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Fresko, Nedim, Mathiske, Bernd J., Wong, Kinsley, Kawahara, Hideya
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/546 Xcast
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

Techniques for processing native events associated with tasks that are concurrently supported in a virtual machine are disclosed. The techniques allow the user of a virtual machine to concurrently perform tasks even if these tasks require processing of platform-specific (or native) events (e.g., platform-specific input). A smart event-dispatcher is used to dispatch native events to multiple tasks that are concurrently supported by the virtual machine. The smart event-dispatcher can determine which one of a plurality of concurrent tasks should receive the native event for processing. The determination can be made based on a variety of different criteria. In mobile devices, the foreground task is typically the only task that is displayed for the user of mobile devices at any given time. Thus, dispatching events to the foreground task is especially useful for a virtual machine that support a mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of processing native events by a virtual machine that operates on a first platform, wherein said virtual machine concurrently supports a first and a second task, said method comprising:

receiving, by a virtual machine, a native event that is associated with a first platform;

selecting, by said virtual machine, one of said first and second tasks as a selected task for receiving said native event, wherein said selection is performed when said first and second tasks are concurrently supported by said virtual machine; and

processing said native event on behalf of said task.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

providing an event-repository and an event-handler for said selected task; and

placing said native event in said event-repository;

invoking said event-handler to initiate processing of said native event; and

processing, by said event-handler, said native event.

3. A method as recited in claim 2,

wherein said event-repository is implemented as a first-in first-out queue,

wherein said event-handler is implemented as an event-handler thread, and

wherein said selection is performed by an event-manager thread.

4. A method as recited as claim 1, wherein said method further comprises:

manipulating said native event to be Java compliant.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said manipulating of said native event is performed by said virtual machine.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said selected task is a Java compliant MIDlet.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said selected task is a portion of a Java compliant MIDlet.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said selection comprises:

selecting a foreground task when said selection is made.

9. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein said selected task is a Java compliant MIDlet, and

wherein said selection comprises:

selecting a foreground task when said selection is made.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said selecting said foreground tasks comprises:

selecting a task that is displayed for the user.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said first platform includes a mobile device.

12. A virtual machine for processing native events associated with a first platform, wherein said virtual machine concurrently supports a first and a second task, said virtual machine comprising:

first and second tasks that are concurrently operating on said virtual machine; and

a native event dispatcher that can operate to;

receive a native event that is associated with said first platform; and

select one of said first and second tasks as a selected task for processing said native event.

13. A virtual machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said virtual machine further comprises:

a native event-handler for said selected task, wherein said native event-handler is invoked when said selected task is selected, and wherein said native event-handler processes said native event when said native event-handler is invoked.

14. A virtual machine as recited in claim 12, wherein said virtual machine further comprises:

a native event-repository and a native event-handler for said selected task; and

said native event-dispatcher can further operate to;

place said native event in said native event-repository; and

invoke said native event-handler to initiate processing of said native event.

15. A method of processing native events by a virtual machine that operates on a first platform, wherein said virtual machine concurrently supports a first and a second task on said first platform, said method comprising:

receiving, by a virtual machine, a native event that is associated with a first platform;

determining, by said virtual machine, which one of said first and second tasks is a foreground task, wherein said foreground task is the only task that is displayed; and

processing, by said foreground task, said native event.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said first platform includes a mobile device.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said first and second tasks are MIDlets.

18. A virtual machine capable of processing native events, wherein said virtual machine concurrently supports a first and a second task on a first platform, and wherein said virtual machine can operate to:

receive a native event that is associated with said first platform;

determine which one of said first and second tasks is the task displayed;

process said foreground task on behalf of said native event.

19. A virtual machine as recited in claim 18,

wherein said virtual machine operates on a mobile device;

and

wherein said foreground task is a Java complaint MIDlet.

20. A computer readable medium including computer program for processing native events by a virtual machine that operates on a first platform, wherein said virtual machine concurrently supports a first and a second task, said computer readable medium comprising:

computer program code for receiving a native event that is associated with a first platform;

computer program code for selecting one of said first and second tasks as a selected task for receiving said native event, wherein said selection is performed when said first and second tasks are concurrently supported by said virtual machine; and

computer program code for processing said native event.

21. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, wherein said readable medium further comprises:

computer program code for manipulating said native event, wherein said manipulating comprises;

representing said native event in a form that is accessible by said selected task.

22. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 20, wherein said selected task is a Java compliant MIDlet.