Program product for an application programming interface unifying multiple mechanisms

• US 6,216,150 B1
• Filed: 10/24/1997
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Blount, Marion Lee, Jurgensen, Dennis Duane, Kirby, Orvalle Theodore, Chandra, Tushar Deepak, Badovinatz, Peter Richard, Brenner, Larry Bert, Kaplan, Marc Adam, Gopal, Ajei Sarat, Pershing, John Arthur Jr., Turek, John Joseph Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Banankhah, Majid
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAO, SUE X
• Application Number:
  US08/959,967
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 395/680, 395/683, 395/681, 709/300, 709/307, 709/301, 709/310, 709/328, 709/106, 709/248, 709/201, 709/205
• US Class Current: 718/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/505 Clust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources

Abstract

Program product for an application programming interface that unifies a plurality of mechanisms into a single framework. The interface includes a mechanism for communicating between members of a process group of related processes, and a mechanism for synchronizing the related processes of the process group. Additionally, the application programming interface may include mechanisms for managing membership of the process group or a processor group of processors, and/or a mechanism for controlling a group state value for the process group.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means therein for providing a single application programming interface, said computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to communicate between a member of a process group of related processes and another member of said process group;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to accomplish voting on at least one proposed protocol among the members of said process group for synchronizing said related processes of said process group, said proposed protocol comprising a proposed action to be taken by at least one of the members of the process group; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement, or refrain from implementing, said proposed action in response to an outcome of said voting;

wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement, or refrain from implementing, further comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to continue a currently executing protocol until another vote, upon a vote for the same received from at least one of said members of said process group.

2. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means therein for providing a singe application programming interface, said computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to communicate between a member of a process group of related processes and another member of said process group;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to accomplish voting on at least one proposed protocol among the members of said process group for synchronizing said related processes of said process group said proposed protocol comprising a proposed action to be taken by at least one of the members of the process group;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement or refrain from implementing, said proposed action in response to an outcome of said voting;

computer readable pro gram code means for causing a computer to manage membership of said process group and a processor group of processors; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to control a group state value for said process group, in the form of a synchronized blackboard with changes thereto made available to the members of the process group as the changes are made;

wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement, or refrain from implementing, further comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to continue a currently executing protocol until another vote, upon a vote for the same received from at least one of said members of said process group.

3. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means therein for providing a single application programming interface, said computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to communicate between a member of a process group of related processes and another member of said process group;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to accomplish voting on at least one proposed protocol among the members of said process group for synchronizing said related processes of said process group, said proposed protocol comprising a proposed action to be taken by at least one of the members of the process groups including one of a member joining said process group or leaving said process group; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement, or refrain from implementing, said proposed action in response to an outcome of said voting;

wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to implement, or refrain from implementing, further comprises computer readable program code means for causing a computer to continue a currently executing protocol until another vote, upon a vote for the same received from at least one of said members of said process group.