Synchronization of event handlers

• US 8,291,436 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Avasthi, Adhyas, Vandrovec, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, Hyung S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WATHEN, BRIAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/166,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20100005479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,567 Days
• Field of Search: 719/318, 710/263, 713/320
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A method for synchronizing the handling of events in a computer using the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standard is presented, wherein an ACPI Notification Queue (ANQ) is provided to store events, such that such events can be handled in first-in-first-out order.

Claims

1. A method for handling events in a computer using the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standard, the method comprising:

creating an ACPI Notification Queue (ANQ), the ANQ being in communication with a plurality of controllers and a ACPI event handler, and wherein the ANQ comprises a plurality of queues for different types of events;

storing events in the ANQ; and

responding to the events in the ANQ in first-in-first-out order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the different types of events comprise at least one of memory events, CPU events, device events, wake-on-LAN events, timer events, keyboard events, and mouse events.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a plurality of the different types of events are grouped into a single type of event.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the device events comprise events for devices connected to more than one bus, wherein separate queues are provided for each bus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein events in said plurality of queues are processed in parallel, events in each queue being processed in first-in-first-out order.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controllers include at least one of a PCI Bus controller, a PCIExpress controller, a Memory controller, and a CPU controller.

7. A method for handling events in a computer using the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standard, the method comprising:

creating a plurality of ACPI Notification Queues (ANQs), each of the plurality of ANQs being in communication with one of a plurality of controllers and one of a plurality of ACPI event handlers;

storing events from the plurality of controllers in the ANQs, wherein the events from one of the plurality of controllers are stored in a corresponding one of the ANQs; and

responding to events in each of the ANQs in first-in-first-out order.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the events comprise at least one of memory events, CPU events, device events, wake-on-LAN events, timer events, keyboard events, and mouse events.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the device events comprise events for devices connected to more than one bus, wherein separate queues are provided for each bus.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the one of the plurality of controllers is in communication with one of a plurality of device drivers.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of controllers include at least one of a PCI Bus controller, a PCIExpress controller, a Memory controller, and a CPU controller.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of ACPI event handlers include at least one of a PCI event handler, a PCI event handler, a Memory event handler, and a CPU event handler.

13. A system for handling events in a computer using the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) standard, the system comprising:

at least one controller;

an ACPI event handler; and

an ACPI Notification Queue (ANQ), the ANQ being in communication with the at least one controller and the ACPI event handler, and wherein the ANQ comprises a plurality of queues for different types of events; and

a processor programmed to;

store events in the ANQ; and

respond to the events in the ANQ in first-in-first-out order.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the different types of events comprise at least one of memory events, CPU events, device events, wake-on-LAN events, timer events, keyboard events, and mouse events.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein a plurality of the different types of events are grouped into a single type of event.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the device events comprise events for devices connected to more than one bus, wherein separate queues are provided for each bus.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one controller is one of a PCI Bus controller, a PCIExpress controller, a Memory controller, or a CPU controller.

17. The system of 13, wherein events in the plurality of queues are processed in parallel, events in each queue being processed in first-in-first-out order.