Inter-system communication system for communicating between operating systems using virtual machine control program

• US 5,408,617 A
• Filed: 04/13/1992
• Issued: 04/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yoshida, Tomio
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AUVE, GLENN ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US07/867,518
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 395/725, 395/325, 395/200, 395/250, 395/700, 395/650, 364/280, 364/284, 364/284.1, 364/284.4, 364/DIG. 1, 364/978.1, 364/978.2, 364/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 719/319
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes

Abstract

An inter-system communication system makes a communication between at least two operating systems. The inter-system communication system includes a virtual machine control program for generally controlling at least first and second operating systems, a data transfer mechanism provided in the virtual machine control program, a request part provided in each of the first and second operating systems for transmitting a transfer request to the data transfer mechanism, and a main storage region provided in each of the first and second operating systems and having a buffer region. The data transfer mechanism transfers data between the buffer region within the main storage region of the first operating system and the buffer region within the main storage region of the second operating system in response to a transfer request from the request part of one of the first and second operating systems.

Claims

1. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program, and

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism;

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions; and

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems.

2. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 1, which further comprises an application program, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for issuing the transfer request and for transmitting the transfer request to the request means of a corresponding one of the first and second operating systems.

3. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said request means includes a transfer part for transmitting the transfer request to said data transfer mechanism in conformance with a communication procedure.

4. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program,

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism,

wherein said request means includes a transfer part for transmitting the transfer request to said data transfer mechanism in conformance with a communication procedure, and

wherein said transfer part decomposes the transfer request into a protocol of the communication procedure and transmits the transfer request to said data transfer mechanism by issuing a predetermined instruction, and

an application program, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for issuing the transfer request and for transmitting the transfer request to the request means of a corresponding one of the first and second operating systems; and

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions,

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems.

5. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the protocol is selected from a group consisting of a connect request, a connect acknowledge, a transmission request, a transmission acknowledge and a disconnect request.

6. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program,

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism, and

an interrupt handler, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for notifying a completion of the data transfer to one of the first and second operating systems from which the transfer request originates by making an interrupt to said one of the first and second operating systems when activated by said data transfer mechanism; and

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions,

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems.

7. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the completion of the data transfer is notified by a single interrupt for one write request and one read request.

8. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program, and

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism;

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions; and

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems,

wherein said request means of the first operating system notifies said data transfer mechanism of a write request when the write request is generated within the first operating system, and said data transfer mechanism transfers the data from the first buffer region to the second buffer region and issues an interrupt to notify a completion of the write request to the first operating system if a read request from the second operating system is held in said data transfer mechanism.

9. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said data transfer mechanism holds the write request if no read request is held therein, and transfers the data from the first buffer region to the second buffer region and issues an interrupt to notify a completion of the write request to the first operating system if a read request from the second operating system is received by said data transfer mechanism.

10. The inter-system communication system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said data transfer mechanism holds the read request if no write request is held therein, and transfers the data from the first buffer region to the second buffer region and issues an interrupt to notify a completion of the read request to the second operating system if a write request from the first operating system is received by said data transfer mechanism.

11. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program, and

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism;

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions; and

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems,

wherein said request means of the second operating system notifies Said data transfer mechanism of a read request when the read request is generated within the second operating system, and said data transfer mechanism transfers the data from the first buffer region to the second buffer region and issues an interrupt to notify a completion of the read request to the second operating system if a write request from the first operating system is held in said data transfer mechanism.

12. An inter-system communication system for communicating between at least two operating systems, said inter-system communication system comprising:

a computer comprising;

a virtual machine control program for controlling at least first and second operating systems,

a data transfer mechanism provided in said virtual machine control program, and

request means, provided in each of the first and second operating systems, for transmitting a transfer request to said data transfer mechanism,

wherein the request means makes the transfer request to said data transfer mechanism by issuing a diagnostic instruction which includes specifying a write data length or a data request;

a main storage coupled to said computer and comprising respective, first and second virtual main storage regions corresponding to the first and second operating systems, said first and second virtual main storage regions having respective first and second buffer regions; and

said data transfer mechanism transferring data between the first and second operating systems by directly copying the data from one of the first buffer region and the second buffer region to the other of the first buffer region and the second buffer region in response to the transfer request from the request means of one of the first and second operating systems.