Parallel Processing System with Inter-Scheduler Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parallel processing systems face inefficiencies in scheduling due to lack of information sharing between schedulers managing respective processes, leading to suboptimal system performance.

Innovation Solution

A parallel processing system where first and second process schedulers communicate to detect and manage processing statuses, allowing each to control operations based on the other's status, ensuring coordinated and efficient scheduling across multiple processing parts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If independent lightweight schedulers are used to reduce OS overhead, then processing efficiency of individual cores is improved, but system-wide scheduling coordination deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidscheduling information sharing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a lightweight scheduler that operates independently on each processor core while maintaining communication capabilities with other schedulers in the system. This intermediary scheduler structure allows each core to make local scheduling decisions without heavy OS intervention, yet still share status information and coordinate with other cores, thus resolving the contradiction between independent operation and system-wide coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If schedulers operate independently without communication, then system complexity is reduced, but system-wide scheduling optimization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduler coordination complexityVSAvoidsystem throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the scheduling function into independent lightweight schedulers on each processor core, allowing them to operate autonomously with minimal communication. Each scheduler manages its own core's tasks independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining the ability to coordinate when necessary, thus balancing complexity and throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Speed

If context switching is executed frequently to improve responsiveness, then system responsiveness is improved, but scheduling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem responsivenessVSAvoidscheduling overhead time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The lightweight scheduler performs preliminary scheduling decisions locally on each processor core before tasks need to be executed or switched. By pre-managing task queues and making scheduling decisions in advance rather than reacting to every system event, the scheduler improves responsiveness while minimizing the overhead associated with frequent context switching and centralized coordination.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3276489B1Parallel processing system
Publication Date: 2020.11.18 NEC CORP
  • EP3276489B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3276489B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3276489B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A first process scheduler and a second process scheduler are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The first process scheduler is configured to, in accordance with the processing status of a second process processing part detected by the second process scheduler, control the operation of a first process processing part executing a process associated with a process shown by the processing status. The second process scheduler is configured to, in accordance with the processing status of the first process processing part detected by the first process scheduler, control the operation of the second process processing part executing a process associated with a process shown by the processing status.