Programmable Request Handling System with Dynamic Priority Modes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing priority schemes for managing requests to shared resources in electronic systems, such as data processing systems with multiple processors and hierarchical memory, are inadequate as they do not allow for precise tuning of priorities, leading to inefficiencies in processing time-critical requests and can result in starvation of lower priority requests.
Innovation Solution
A flexible priority scheme that allows each requester to be individually associated with a selected priority mode, including preemptive, burst, or rotational modes, with programmable configurations for maximum requests and relative prioritization, enabling fine-tuning of request processing based on specific requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a preemptive priority scheme is used to allow high-priority requests to complete quickly, then the processing speed of time-critical requests is improved, but lower priority requests may be starved out and never get access to the resource
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic priority adjustment by allowing requesters to be associated with different priority modes (preemptive, burst, rotational) that can be selectively applied. The system dynamically switches between different priority schemes based on the specific requester and situation, rather than using a fixed priority assignment. This resolves the contradiction by making the priority system adaptable - using preemptive mode when speed is critical for certain requests while using rotational or burst modes to ensure other requests maintain throughput opportunities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of priority assignment from a single static value to multiple selectable modes (preemptive, burst, rotational). Each mode represents a different parameter configuration for how priorities are handled. By allowing the system to select different parameter configurations based on requester needs, it can optimize for speed when necessary while preventing starvation through alternative modes, thus resolving the contradiction between high-priority processing speed and low-priority throughput.
2Productivity
If a rotational priority arrangement is used to prevent starvation of low-priority requests, then fairness and throughput are improved, but high-priority requests can only gain access once per snapshot which may not be adequate for time-critical operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the priority system dynamic by allowing high-priority requesters to be associated with preemptive mode, which allows them to access the resource multiple times within a snapshot period when needed. The system dynamically adapts the priority behavior based on the requester's mode assignment, enabling high-priority requests to break out of the strict rotational sequence when time-critical, thus resolving the contradiction between fairness and high-priority access frequency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the priority handling into distinct modes (preemptive, burst, rotational) that can be applied to different requesters. High-priority time-critical requests can be assigned to preemptive mode which segments them from the standard rotational flow, allowing them to access the resource multiple times per snapshot. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by creating separate handling paths - rotational mode ensures fairness for most requests while preemptive mode provides multiple access opportunities for critical requests.
3Ease of operation
If a single priority scheme is used for all requesters, then system complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but the system cannot be precisely tuned for specific performance requirements of different requesters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal priority management system that handles multiple priority modes (preemptive, burst, rotational) through a unified framework. The same basic infrastructure - request queues, snapshot mechanism, and resource allocation - supports all three modes. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by providing a single system that can adapt to different performance requirements without requiring separate complex management mechanisms for each priority scheme.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic configurability to the priority system, allowing the association between requesters and priority modes to be changed based on performance requirements. The system can be tuned by assigning different modes to different requesters without changing the underlying system structure. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction by maintaining operational simplicity while enabling precise tuning - the same simple mechanism adapts its behavior dynamically based on configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is disclosed for prioritizing requests received from multiple requesters for presentation to a shared resource. The system includes logic that implements multiple priority schemes. This logic may be programmably configured to associate each of the requesters with any of the priority schemes. The priority scheme that is associated with the requester controls how that requester submits requests to the shared resource. The requests that have been submitted by any of the requesters in this manner are then processed in a predetermined order. This order is established using an absolute priority assigned to each of the requesters. This order may further be determined by assigning one or more requesters a priority that is relative to another requester. The absolute and relative priority assignments are programmable.