Master and subordinate operating system kernels for heterogeneous multiprocessor systems

• US 8,789,063 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2007
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hodson, Orion, Gunawi, Haryadi, Hunt, Galen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Puente, Emerson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huaracha, Willy W
• Application Number:
  US11/694,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20080244599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 718/104, 718/1, 718/100, 718/101, 718/102, 718/107, 718/104.102, 717/149
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5044 considering hardware capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space

Abstract

Systems and methods establish communication and control between various heterogeneous processors in a computing system so that an operating system can run an application across multiple heterogeneous processors. With a single set of development tools, software developers can create applications that will flexibly run on one CPU or on combinations of central, auxiliary, and peripheral processors. In a computing system, application-only processors can be assigned a lean subordinate kernel to manage local resources. An application binary interface (ABI) shim is loaded with application binary images to direct kernel ABI calls to a local subordinate kernel or to the main OS kernel depending on which kernel manifestation is controlling requested resources.

Claims

1. A computer-executable method for a computing system that includes an operating system and multiple heterogeneous processors, comprising:

establishing communication between the multiple heterogeneous processors for managing resources associated with the multiple heterogeneous processors, the multiple heterogeneous processors including a first subset of processors executing an operating system and an operating system kernel, and a second subset of processors executing a subordinate kernel agent;

allocating, by the subordinate kernel agent executing on the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, a plurality of processes of a software application among resources of the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors; and

directing, by an application binary interface (ABI) shim executing on the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, a call from the software application for one of the resources to the subordinate kernel based on a determination by the ABI shim that the subordinate kernel manages the one of the resources.

2. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 1, wherein the software application comprises one of a generic software program, a commercial software program, a custom software program, a retail software program, and an off-the-shelf software program.

3. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 1, wherein the multiple heterogeneous processors include a main processor and one or more auxiliary processors;

wherein the operating system and an operating system kernel execute on the first subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, the first subset including the main processor; and

wherein the method further comprises determining, by the application binary interface (ABI) shim, to direct another call from the software application for another one of the resources to the operating system kernel based on a determination by the ABI shim that the operating system kernel manages the other one of the resources.

4. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, wherein the first and second subsets overlap.

5. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, wherein the second subset of processors runs the software application processes under management of the operating system.

6. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, wherein the one or more auxiliary processors include two or more of programmable graphics processing units (GPUs), network controllers, general purpose central processing units (CPUs), micro controllers, disk controllers, redundant array of independent disks (RAID) controllers, sound processors, and numerical co-processors.

7. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, wherein the software application is formulated according to a programming model configured to enable the software application to run on the main processor, on the one or more auxiliary processors, or on a combination of the main processor and the one or more auxiliary processors.

8. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, further comprising converting the software application into instructions that are compatible with an instruction set associated with the main processor and another instruction set associated with the one or more auxiliary processors.

9. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

managing, by the first subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors local resources associated with the first subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors; and

deferring, by the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, management of at least some of the corresponding local resources associated with the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors to the operating system.

10. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 3, wherein the subordinate kernel agent includes a software agent of the operating system, and wherein the subordinate kernel agent is configured to manage computing resources associated with the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors and to perform thread scheduling on behalf of the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors.

11. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

communicating, by the subordinate kernel agent an inventory of local resources of the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors to the operating system to enable the operating system to determine whether to launch the different processes of the software application on the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors.

12. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 10, further comprising utilizing, by the operating system, the subordinate kernel agent to perform an operating system service on the second subset of processors.

13. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

ones of the multiple heterogeneous processors communicating with each other via regions of a memory of the computing system; and

the ones of the multiple heterogeneous processors signaling remote method invocation via inter-processor interrupts.

14. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 1, further comprising ones of the multiple heterogeneous processors communicating with each other via a message transport.

15. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 10, further comprising selecting, by the operating system, the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors to launch the different processes of the software application on based on one or more of characteristics of the software application, a system configuration state, and a system resource utilization.

16. The computer-executable method as recited in claim 15, further comprising sending, by the operating system, a message to the subordinate kernel agent indicating a location of a process image and associated local resources;

and

initiating, by the subordinate kernel agent, a process corresponding to the process image and notifying the operating system of an outcome of the initiating the process.

17. A computing system, comprising:

multiple heterogeneous processors;

an operating system executable by a first subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors;

a multiple-processor manager configured to establish communication between the multiple heterogeneous processors for managing computing resources among the multiple heterogeneous processors, wherein the operating system is configured to allocate processes of a software application among different ones of the multiple heterogeneous processors;

a subordinate kernel agent of the operating system, executable by a second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, and configured to initiate a process of the software application on the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors upon reception of an instruction from the operating system; and

an application binary interface shim (ABI) including an application binary executable by the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors, the ABI shim configured to determine a locality of a particular resource'"'"'s management, the ABI shim further configured to direct a call to one of a kernel of the operating system and the subordinate kernel agent based on the determined locality.

18. The computing system as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the locality of a particular resource'"'"'s management is based in part on the presence of a thread scheduler In the subordinate kernel agent;

the subordinate kernel agent is further configured to manage computing resources associated with the second subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors in the computing system using the thread scheduler; and

the subordinate kernel agent is configured to perform a subset of operating system services on behalf of the operating system.

19. A computer-executable method, comprising:

enabling communication between an operating system and a plurality of heterogeneous processors, the plurality of heterogeneous processors configured to perform operating system services for processes of a software application;

assigning the processes of the software application among the plurality of heterogeneous processors; and

loading an application binary interface (ABI) shim on a subset of the plurality of heterogeneous processors, the ABI shim configured to determine a locality of a resource'"'"'s managing entity, and to direct, based on the determined locality, a call relating to the resource to one of a subordinate kernel agent executing on the subset of the plurality of heterogeneous processors and an operating system kernel executing on another subset of the plurality of heterogeneous processors.

20. The computer-executable method of claim 19, further comprising initiating, by the subordinate kernel agent of the operating system, a process of the software application on the subset of the multiple heterogeneous processors upon reception of instruction from the operating system.