General data structure for describing logical data spaces

• US 6,728,722 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shaylor, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAYYAN, SUSAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/650,370
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/205, 707/103, 709/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2205/064 Linked list, i.e. structure using pointers, e.g. allowing non-contiguous address segments in one logical buffer or dynamic buffer space allocation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/065 Partitioned buffers, e.g. allowing multiple independent queues, bidirectional FIFO's
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A data structure is disclosed. The data structure includes a data descriptor record. In turn, the data descriptor record includes a type field, a base address field, an offset field, wherein the, and a length field. The type field may be configured, for example, to indicate a data structure type. The data structure type may be configured to assume a values indicating one of a contiguous buffer, a scatter-gather list and a linked list structure, among other such data structures. The base address field may be configured, for example, to store a base address, with the base address being a starting address of a secondary data structure associated with the data descriptor record. The offset field may be configured, for example, to indicate a starting address of data within a secondary data structure pointed to by a base address stored in the base address field. The length field is configured to indicate a length of data stored in a secondary data structure pointed to by a base address stored in the base address field.

Claims

1. A method of transferring data comprising:

storing said data in a first data structure, wherein

said first data structure is in a first data structure format,

said first data structure format is defined by a first data descriptor record associated with a first process, and

said first data structure occupies a memory space;

passing a reference to said memory space from said first process to a second process; and

reading said data from a second data structure using said reference, wherein

said second data structure is in a second data structure format,

said second data structure format is defined by a second data descriptor record associated with said second process, and

said second data structure occupies at least a portion of said memory space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and said second data structures are co-extensive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and said second data structure formats differ.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first data structure comprises a data structure that is equivalent to at least a portion of said second data structure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said reference is a base address of said second data structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

said first and said second data descriptor records each include

at least one addressing field, and

a type field, wherein

said type field is configured to indicate a data structure type of a data storage structure, and

said data storage structure is a data structure described by said data descriptor record.

7. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

computer readable medium coupled to said processor; and

computer code, encoded in said computer readable medium, configured to cause said processor to transfer data by virtue of causing said processor to;

store said data in a first data structure, wherein

said first data structure is in a first data structure format,

said first data structure format is defined by a first data descriptor record associated with a first process, and

said first data structure occupies a memory space;

pass a reference to said memory space from said first process to a second process; and

read said data from a second data structure using said reference, wherein

said second data structure is in a second data structure format,

said second data structure format is defined by a second data descriptor record associated with said second process, and

said second data structure occupies at least a portion of said memory space.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said first and said second data structures are co-extensive.

9. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said first and said second data structure formats differ.

10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein said first data structure comprises a data structure that is equivalent to at least a portion of said second data structure.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said reference is a base address of said second data structure.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein

said first and said second data descriptor records each include

at least one addressing field, and

a type field, wherein

said type field is configured to indicate a data structure type of a data storage structure, and

said data storage structure is a data structure described by said data descriptor record.

13. A computer program product encoded in computer readable media, said computer program product configured as an operating system, said computer program product comprising:

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to store said data in a first data structure, wherein

said first data structure is in a first data structure format,

said first data structure format is defined by a first data descriptor record associated with a first process, and

said first data structure occupies a memory space;

a second set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to pass a reference to said memory space from said first process to a second process; and

a third set of instructions, executable on said computer system, configured to read said data from a second data structure using said reference, wherein

said second data structure is in a second data structure format,

said second data structure format is defined by a second data descriptor record associated with said second process, and

said second data structure occupies at least a portion of said memory space.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said first and said second data structures are co-extensive.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said first and said second data structure formats differ.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said first data structure comprises a data structure that is equivalent to at least a portion of said second data structure.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said reference is a base address of said second data structure.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

said first and said second data descriptor records each include

at least one addressing field, and

a type field, wherein

said type field is configured to indicate a data structure type of a data storage structure, and

said data storage structure is a data structure described by said data descriptor record.