Generous tit-for-tat cooperative distributed computing

• US 6,061,744 A
• Filed: 05/12/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Mathur, Atul K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/076,568
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 709/100, 709/104, 709/105, 709/107, 709/200, 709/201, 709/300, 709/302, 709/304
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals

Abstract

A distributed computing method is disclosed. The method includes a requester making a number of requests to a number of other computers to perform a number of operations for the requestor'"'"'s computer using the other computers'"'"' resources. The method further includes each corresponding grantor of the other computers to determine whether the other computer should grant the request(s). Each grantor is to make the determination at least at times in accordance with the requestor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s prior response(s) to the grantor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s prior request(s) of the requestor'"'"'s computer to perform one or more operations for the grantor'"'"'s computer. In one embodiment, the method further includes the grantor making the determination in accordance with whether a generosity measure denotes the requestor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s request should nevertheless be granted notwithstanding the requestor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s prior response(s) to the grantor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s prior request(s) suggesting that the requestor'"'"'s computer'"'"'s request should not be granted. In one embodiment, the requestor and grantor are embodied in a computer system.

Claims

1. A method for operating a computer system, comprising:

a) receiving a request from another computer system to allow an operation to be performed for the other computer system using the computer system'"'"'s resources;

b) determining whether to grant the request, making the determination at least at times in accordance with the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) to have one or more operations performed for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in (b) the computer system grants the request if the request is not a first request from the other computer system, and the other computer system has previously granted a request of the computer system to perform an operation for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in (b) is further made in accordance with whether the request is a first request from the other computer system independent of the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s prior request(s), the computer system granting the request if the request is a first request from the other computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination in (b) is further made in accordance with a generosity measure, the computer system nevertheless granting the request if the generosity measure denotes that the request should be granted notwithstanding the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) suggesting that the request should not be granted.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein (b) includes dynamically generate the generosity measure by dynamically generating a random number that falls within a predetermined range, and the computer system considers the generosity measure as denoting the other computer system'"'"'s request is to be granted, if the dynamically generated random number falls within a predetermined sub-range of the predetermined range.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) further includes determining the amount of the computer system'"'"'s resources required to perform the requested operation for the other computer system, and whether the required amount is available.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein (b) further includes determining if the requested operation is supported by the computer system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises (c) tracking other computer systems'"'"' responses to the computer system'"'"'s requests to perform operations for the computer system using the other computer systems'"'"' responses.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises (c) requesting other computer systems, for the computer system, to perform operations for the computer system using the other computer systems'"'"' resources.

10. A computer system comprising a grantor for used to determine for the computer system whether to grant another computer system'"'"'s request to perform an operation for the other computer system using the computer system'"'"'s resources, the grantor making the determination at least at times in accordance with the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) to have one or more operations performed for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the grantor grants the other computer system'"'"'s request to perform a operation for the other computer system using the computer system'"'"'s resources if the other computer system'"'"'s request is not a first request of the computer system by the other computer system, and the other computer system has previously granted one of the computer system'"'"'s requests to perform an operation for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the grantor grants the other computer system'"'"'s request independent of the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s request(s) to perform one or more operations for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources if the other computer system'"'"'s request is a first request of the computer system by the other computer system.

13. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the grantor further makes the determination in accordance with whether a generosity measure denotes the other computer system'"'"'s request should nevertheless be granted notwithstanding the other computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) denoting that the other computer system'"'"'s request should not be granted.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the grantor further dynamically generates the generosity measure by dynamically generating a random number that falls within a predetermined range, and the grantor considers the generosity measure as denoting the other computer system'"'"'s request is to be granted, if the dynamically generated random number falls within a predetermined sub-range of the predetermined range.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the grantor further determines if the requested operation is supported by the computer system.

16. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the grantor further determines the amount of the computer system'"'"'s resources required to perform the requested operation for the other computer system, and whether the required amount is available.

17. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the computer system further includes a requestor for used to track at least the other computer system'"'"'s responses to the computer system'"'"'s requests to perform operations for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the computer system further includes a requestor for used to request at least the other computer system, for the computer system, to perform operations for the computer system using the other computer system'"'"'s resources.

19. A storage medium having stored therein a first plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by a first computer system, the executing first plurality of computer instructions operate to determine for the first computer system whether to grant a second computer system'"'"'s request to perform an operation for the second computer system using the first computer system'"'"'s resources, and the determination is made at least at times in accordance with the second computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the first computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) to have one or more operations performed for the first computer system using the second computer system'"'"'s resources.

20. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions operate to grant the second computer system'"'"'s request to perform a operation for the second computer system using the first computer system'"'"'s resources if the second computer system'"'"'s request is not a first request of the first computer system by the second computer system, and the second computer system has previously granted a first computer system'"'"'s request to perform an operation for the first computer system using the second computer system'"'"'s resources.

21. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions further operate to grant the second computer system'"'"'s request independent of the second computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the first computer system'"'"'s request(s) to perform one or more operations for the first computer system using the second computer system'"'"'s resources if the second computer system'"'"'s request is a first request of the first computer system by the second computer system.

22. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions further operate to make the determination in accordance with whether a generosity measure denotes the second computer system'"'"'s request should nevertheless be granted notwithstanding the second computer system'"'"'s prior response(s) to the first computer system'"'"'s prior request(s) denoting that the second computer system'"'"'s request should not be granted.

23. The storage medium of claim 22, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions further operate to dynamically generate the generosity measure by dynamically generating a random number that falls within a predetermined range, and the executing first plurality of computer instructions consider the generosity measure as denoting the second computer system'"'"'s request is to be granted, if the dynamically generated random number falls within a predetermined sub-range of the predetermined range.

24. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions further operate to determine the amount of the first computer system'"'"'s resources required to perform the requested operation for the second computer system, and whether the required amount is available.

25. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the executing first plurality of computer instructions further operate to determine if the requested operation is supported by the first computer system.

26. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the storage medium further having stored therein a second plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by the first computer system, the executing second plurality of computer instructions operate to track the second and other computer systems'"'"' responses to the first computer system'"'"'s requests to perform operations for the first computer system using the second and the other computer systems'"'"' responses.

27. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the storage medium further having stored therein a second plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by the first computer system, the executing second plurality of computer instructions operate to request the second and other computer systems, for the first computer system, to perform operations for the first computer system using the second and the other computer systems'"'"' resources.

28. The storage medium of claim 27, wherein the storage medium further having stored therein a third plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by the first computer system, the executing third plurality of computer instructions operate to request the second plurality of computer instructions to request the second and other computer systems, for the first computer system, to perform operations for the first computer system using the second and the other computer systems'"'"' resources.

29. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the executing third plurality of computer instructions further operate to assign operations to the second and the other computer systems having granted the first computer system'"'"'s request to perform operations for the first computer system using the second and the other computer systems'"'"' resources.

30. The storage medium of claim 28, wherein the storage medium further having stored therein a fourth plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by the first computer system, the executing fourth plurality of computer instructions operate to identify to the third plurality of computer instructions operations to be performed, and the executing third plurality of computer instructions further operate to subsequently notify the executing fourth plurality of computer instructions of the completion of the identified operations.

31. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the storage medium further having stored therein a second plurality of computer instructions, wherein when executed by the first computer system, the second plurality of computer instructions operate to perform a plurality of operations for the second and other computer systems.

32. The storage medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of operations are solid modeling operations.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein the first and second plurality of computer instructions in conjunction with other computer instructions implement a computer-aided design (CAD) software package.

34. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein the first and second plurality of computer instructions and other computer instructions implement an operating system.