Simultaneous control of radio frequency modem in a multi-tasking system using a single session manager program with separate command queue for each application program
First Claim
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1. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a memory for storing a plurality of software applications, and a shared radio-frequency modem, a method for managing said radio frequency modem comprising:
- a. providing a predetermined interface in the form of a command set common to all of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said predetermined interface;
b. providing a single computer program that controls the radio-frequency modem and permits simultaneous, independent interface to each of said applications by way of said commands by;
i. issuing a first command from a first one of said applications;
ii. issuing a second command from a second one of said applications;
iii. storing said first and second commands at first and second queues respectively; and
iv. based on the step of storing, writing said first and second commands to said shared radio-frequency modem.
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Abstract
A data communication method provides management and control functions to allow access to a shared radio frequency communication device by multiple concurrently executing software applications. A predetermined set of commands common to all of the software applications enable a consistent, high-level software interface to the communication device. A single computer program controls the communication device and permits simultaneous independent interface to each of the software applications.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a memory for storing a plurality of software applications, and a shared radio-frequency modem, a method for managing said radio frequency modem comprising:
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a. providing a predetermined interface in the form of a command set common to all of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said predetermined interface; b. providing a single computer program that controls the radio-frequency modem and permits simultaneous, independent interface to each of said applications by way of said commands by; i. issuing a first command from a first one of said applications; ii. issuing a second command from a second one of said applications; iii. storing said first and second commands at first and second queues respectively; and iv. based on the step of storing, writing said first and second commands to said shared radio-frequency modem.
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2. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a shared radio-frequency modem, and a memory for storing a plurality of applications and for storing a computer program to control the radio-frequency modem and permit simultaneous, independent interface by said modem to each of said applications by way of said commands, said computer program comprising:
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a predetermined set of commands common to all of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said computer program; an application manager for executing said commands; a queue manager responsive to said application manager, said queue manager comprising a plurality of queues; a message manager coupled to said queue manager; a device manager coupled between said message manager and a communications port, said device manager comprising a transmit buffer; a method for enabling said plurality of applications to send data simultaneously over said radio-frequency modem comprising the steps of; a. issuing a send command from a first one of said applications to said application manager; b. issuing a send command from a second one of said applications to said application manager; c. receiving said send commands, each accompanied by a message or command, at said application manager and writing said respective message or command to first and second queues in said queue manager; d. polling said queues for pending messages or commands; e. writing said message or command stored in said first queue into said transmit buffer of said device manager; f. reading said buffer and writing said stored message or command to said shared radio-frequency modem via said communications port; g. writing said message or command stored in said second queue into said transmit buffer of said device manager; and h. reading said buffer and writing said stored message or command to said shared radio-frequency modem via said communications port.
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3. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a shared radio-frequency modem, and a memory for storing a plurality of applications and for storing a computer program to control the radio-frequency modem and permit simultaneous, independent interface by said modem to each of said applications by way of said commands, said computer program comprising:
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a predetermined set of commands common to all of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said computer program; an application manager for executing said commands; a queue manager responsive to said application manager, said queue manager comprising a plurality of queues; a message manager coupled to said queue manager; a device manager coupled between said message manager and a communications port, said device manager comprising a receive buffer; a method for enabling said plurality of applications to receive data simultaneously over said radio-frequency modem comprising the steps of; a. receiving first incoming data at said radio-frequency modem; b. writing said first data into said device manager'"'"'s receive buffer; c. reading said first data from said receive buffer; d. writing said first data into a first one of said queues in said queue manager; e. receiving second incoming data at said radio-frequency modem; f. writing said second data into said device manager'"'"'s receive buffer; g. reading said second data from said receive buffer; h. writing said second data into a second one of said queues in said queue manager; i. holding said first data in said first queue until a receive command is issued from a first one of said one applications; j. notifying the user that data for said first application has arrived; k. issuing a receive command from said first application to said application manager; l. receiving said receive command at said application manager from said first application and routing said data to said first application; m. holding said second data in said second queue until a receive command is issued from a second one of said one applications; n. notifying the user that data for said second application has arrived; o. issuing a receive command from said second application to said application manager; and p. receiving said receive command at said application manager from said second application and routing said data to said second application. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a shared radio-frequency modem, and a memory for storing a plurality of applications and for storing a computer program to control the radio-frequency modem and permit simultaneous, independent interface by said modem to each of said applications by way of said commands, said computer program comprising:
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a predetermined set of commands common to all of said applications, a plurality of said commands being incorporated into each of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said computer program; an application manager responsive to said plurality of commands from all of said applications, for executing said commands; a queue manager responsive to said application manager, said queue manager comprising an emergency queue, regular queue, command queue, a plurality of in-bound message queues, and a plurality of in-bound response queues; a message manager comprising a transmit task and a receive task, said transmit task being coupled to a first plurality of queues, said receive task being coupled to a second plurality of queues; a device manager coupled between said message manager and a communications port, said device manager managing the transmission and receipt of data with respect to said communications port, and said device manager comprising a transmit buffer, a receive buffer, and a device state machine task; a method for enabling said plurality of applications to send data simultaneously over said radio-frequency modem comprising the steps of; a. issuing a send command from a first one of said applications to said application manager; b. issuing a send command from a second one of said applications to said application manager; c. receiving said send commands and corresponding data to be sent at said application manager from said applications and performing one of the following substeps for each of said send commands; i. writing said data to said emergency queue, if data to be sent is a high priority message, or; ii. writing said data to said regular queue, if data to be sent is a normal priority message, or; iii. writing said data to said command queue, if data to be sent is a command to control said shared radio-frequency modem; d. polling said emergency, regular, and command queues in said transmit task of said message manager for pending messages or commands by performing the following substeps in sequence; i. checking said emergency queue for said high priority messages and sending said high priority messages to said device state machine task of said device manager; ii. checking said regular queue for said normal priority messages and sending said normal priority messages to said device state machine task of said device manager; iii. checking said command queue for said commands and sending said commands to said device state machine task of said device manager; e. writing said messages or commands stored in said device state machine task into said transmit buffer of said device manager; f. reading said buffer and writing said stored messages or commands to said shared radio-frequency modem via said communications port. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. In a data processing system comprising a processor, a shared radio-frequency modem, and a memory for storing a plurality of applications and for storing a computer program to control the radio-frequency modem and permit simultaneous, independent interface by said modem to each of said applications by way of said commands, said computer program comprising:
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a predetermined set of commands common to all of said applications, a plurality of said commands being incorporated into each of said applications, said commands being used to control communication between said applications and said computer program; an application manager responsive to said plurality of commands from all of said applications, for executing said commands; a queue manager responsive to said application manager, said queue manager comprising an emergency queue, regular queue, command queue, a plurality of in-bound message queues, and a plurality of in-bound response queues; a message manager comprising a transmit task and a receive task, said transmit task being coupled to a first plurality of queues, said receive task being coupled to a second plurality of queues; a device manager coupled between said message manager and to a communications port, said device manager managing the transmission and receipt of data with respect to said communications port, and said device manager comprising a transmit buffer, a receive buffer, and a device state machine task; a method for enabling said plurality of applications to receive data simultaneously over said radio-frequency modem comprising the steps of; a. receiving first incoming data at said radio-frequency modem; b. writing said first data into said device manager'"'"'s receive buffer; c. reading said first data from said receive buffer; d. sending said first data into said message manager'"'"'s receive task, and performing one of the following substeps; i. placing said first data into a first one of said queue manager'"'"'s in-bound message queues, if said data is a new incoming message; ii. placing said first data into a first one of said queue manager'"'"'s in-bound response queues, if said data is a response to a previously sent message of said one application; e. holding said first data in said first in-bound message queue or said first in-bound response queue until a receive command is issued from said one application; f. notifying the user that a message or response for said one application has arrived; g. issuing a receive command from said one application to said application manager; h. receiving said receive command at said application manager from said one application and routing said data to said one application. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification