Contention detection with modified message format
First Claim
1. A single computer for sending or receiving a broadcast of an addressed memory updating signal or packet from over a communications network interconnecting said single computer with at least one other computer, said single computer and the or each said other computer executing a different portion of an application program written to execute on only a single conventional computer, and of said single and the or each other computer having an independent local memory with at least one memory location being replicated in each said local memory of said single computer and said at least one other computer, said single computer comprising:
- at least one replicated memory location that is replication in the local memory of said single computer and in said at least one other computer and having a specific location identifier in each said computer;
at least one communications port that is adapted for at least one of sending a signal or packet to and receiving a signal or packet from at least one other of a plurality of sources each of which can update said replicated memory location(s) and each of which utilizes an updating format for the signal or packet carrying out the updating;
said updating format comprising;
(i) the specific identifier of each replicated memory location to be updated, (ii) the content with which said each replicated memory location is to be updated, and (iii) at least one updating count of the updating source, the or each said updating count comprising a number indicative of the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of the current updating, and (iv) at least one resolution value of the updating source, each said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source.
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Abstract
A multiple computer system is disclosed in which n computers (M1, M2 . . . Mn) each run a different portion of a single application program written to execute only on a single computer. The local memory of each computer is maintained substantially the same by updating all computers with every change made to addressed memory locations. Contention can arise when the same memory location is substantially simultaneously updated by two or more machines because of transmission delays and latency of the communications network interconnecting all the computers. In particular a method of broadcast memory updating with contention detection and resolution is disclosed which utilizes either a single or plural count value(s) and/or single or plural resolution value(s) for multiple memory locations. The count value is indicative of the number of the sequence of occasions on which a memory location has been updated. Contention is indicated if the currently stored count value and the incoming updating count value are the same.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A single computer for sending or receiving a broadcast of an addressed memory updating signal or packet from over a communications network interconnecting said single computer with at least one other computer, said single computer and the or each said other computer executing a different portion of an application program written to execute on only a single conventional computer, and of said single and the or each other computer having an independent local memory with at least one memory location being replicated in each said local memory of said single computer and said at least one other computer, said single computer comprising:
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at least one replicated memory location that is replication in the local memory of said single computer and in said at least one other computer and having a specific location identifier in each said computer; at least one communications port that is adapted for at least one of sending a signal or packet to and receiving a signal or packet from at least one other of a plurality of sources each of which can update said replicated memory location(s) and each of which utilizes an updating format for the signal or packet carrying out the updating; said updating format comprising;
(i) the specific identifier of each replicated memory location to be updated, (ii) the content with which said each replicated memory location is to be updated, and (iii) at least one updating count of the updating source, the or each said updating count comprising a number indicative of the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of the current updating, and (iv) at least one resolution value of the updating source, each said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source.
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2. A method for a single computer to send or receive a broadcast communicating a memory updating signal or packet over an external communications network interconnecting said single computer to a plurality of other computers each executing a different portion of an application program written to execute on a single computer, and each having an independent local memory with at least one addressed memory location being replicated in each said local memory, each of which has a specific location identifier and can be updated substantially simultaneously from a plurality of sources, said method for said single computer to send or receive said broadcast of said memory updating signal or packet comprising:
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coupling said single computer to said external communications network; utilizing an updating format for sending and/or for receiving the signal or packet carrying out the memory updating; and said updating format comprising;
(i) the specific identifier of each memory location to be updated, (ii) the content with which said each memory location is to be updated, and (iii) at least one updating count of the updating source;each said updating count comprising a number indicative of the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of the current updating; and
at least one resolution value of the updating source, each said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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4. A computer program stored in a computer readable media, the computer program adapted for execution in a processor within a computer or information appliance and a memory coupled with the processor to modify the operation of a single computer or information appliance, for modifying the operation of the single computer or information appliance that is operating to send and/or to receive a broadcast of a memory updating signal or packet over a communications network interconnecting the single computer with at least one other computer, the single computer and the or each other computer executing a different portion of an application program written to execute on only a single conventional computer, and said single computer and the or each other computer having an independent local memory with at least one addressed memory location being replicated in each said local memory, each of which has a specific location identifier and can be updated substantially simultaneously from a plurality of sources, said modification including performing a method for said single computer to send or receive said broadcast of a memory updating signal or packet, said method comprising:
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providing a coupling in said single computer for communication with at least one other of said computers over said external communications network; utilizing an updating format for the signal or packet carrying out the updating; said updating format comprising;
(i) the specific identifier of each memory location to be updated, (ii) the content with which said each memory location is to be updated, and (iii) at least one updating count of the updating source;
each said updating count comprising a number indicative of the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of the current updating; and
at least one resolution value of the updating source, each said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source.
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5. A method for a single computer to send or receive a broadcast communicating a memory updating signal or packet over an external communications network interconnecting said single computer to a plurality of other computers each executing a different portion of an application program written to execute on a single computer, and each having an independent local memory with at least one addressed memory location being replicated in each said local memory, each of which has a specific location identifier and can be updated substantially simultaneously from a plurality of sources, said method for said single computer to send or receive said broadcast of said memory updating signal or packet comprising:
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utilizing an updating format for the signal or packet carrying out the updating; said format comprising;
(i) the specific identifier of at least two replicated memory locations to be updated, (ii) the content with which said each replicated memory location is to be updated, and (iii) one updating count of the updating source for all said replicated memory locations;said one updating count comprising a number indicative of the highest magnitude sequence of occasions on which all said replicated memory locations have been updated inclusive of the current updating, and at least one resolution value of the updating source; and said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source.
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6. An updating data structure format of a signal or packet of information for carrying out a memory updating process in a single computer, the updating format for a signal or packet comprising:
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(i) the specific identifier of each memory location to be updated in said single computer; (ii) the content with which said each memory location in said single computer is to be updated; and (iii) at least one updating count of the updating source which may be a source in the single computer or from an external computer; each said updating count comprising an identifier indicative of the sequence of occasions on which the updating source has been updated inclusive of a current updating, and at least one resolution value of the updating source, each said resolution value comprising a unique value of the updating source. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification