Scheduler Critical Region Execution Context Resumption

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Solution Overview

Problem

In computer systems, execution contexts can become blocked by entities outside the scheduler while in a critical region, leading to idle processing resources and undesirable rescheduling on different resources when unblocked, causing execution confusion and synchronization issues.

Innovation Solution

A scheduler detects blocked execution contexts in critical regions and ensures they resume on the original processing resource upon unblocking, preventing other execution contexts from entering the critical region until the blocked context exits, thus maintaining resource consistency and synchronization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the scheduler allows execution contexts to be blocked by external entities, then the system can handle external interruptions and blocking operations, but the processing resource becomes idle and the execution context may be rescheduled on a different resource causing confusion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexecution context synchronizationVSAvoidprocessing resource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The scheduler performs preliminary tracking of execution contexts in critical regions before blocking occurs. By maintaining a record of which execution contexts are in critical regions and on which processing resources, the scheduler can ensure that when blocking occurs, the execution context resumes on the same resource without causing confusion or resource idle time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The scheduler implements feedback mechanisms to detect when execution contexts are blocked externally and to track their resumption. This feedback loop allows the scheduler to monitor execution contexts in critical regions and ensure they resume on the correct processing resource, preventing resource idle time and maintaining synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the scheduler tracks execution contexts in critical regions, then resource consistency and synchronization are maintained, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource consistencyVSAvoidscheduler complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The scheduler segments the tracking function by separating critical region identification from general execution context management. By marking specific regions as critical and maintaining separate tracking information for these regions, the scheduler achieves reliable resource consistency without requiring complete redesign of the entire scheduling system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The scheduler applies local quality by treating critical regions differently from regular execution regions. Execution contexts in critical regions receive special tracking and protection, while other execution contexts follow standard scheduling procedures. This localized approach maintains resource consistency where needed without unnecessarily complicating the entire scheduler.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS9304831B2Scheduling execution contexts with critical regions

Publication Date: 2016.04.05 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A scheduler in a process of a computer system detects an execution context that blocked from outside of the scheduler while in a critical region. The scheduler ensures that the execution context resumes execution on the processing resource of the scheduler on which the execution context blocked when the execution context becomes unblocked. The scheduler also prevents another execution context from entering a critical region on the processing resource prior to the blocked execution context becoming unblocked and exiting the critical region.