Shared Resource Access Arbitration via Mode Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques for arbitrating control access to a shared resource among multiple client applications are limited to a first-come, first-served priority system, leading to conflicts when multiple applications attempt to modify the shared resource simultaneously, as only one client application can have exclusive control at a time, preventing concurrent and conflict-free access.

Innovation Solution

A server component is introduced to provide a uniform interface for multiple client applications to access a shared data stream, using a shared resource API to manage access and synchronization, allowing concurrent access while reducing conflicts by using synchronization components to coordinate modifications to the shared resource.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a first come first served priority system is used to arbitrate control access to a shared resource, then conflicts between multiple client applications are prevented, but the remaining client applications must wait until the current client application relinquishes control

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconflict preventionVSAvoidwait time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the shared resource access into two distinct modes: control access and consumption access. This segmentation allows different types of access to be granted simultaneously to different client applications, resolving the contradiction by enabling multiple applications to access the resource concurrently without conflicts. The control access mode allows one application to modify the resource while consumption access mode allows other applications to read from the resource without waiting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic access mode switching where client applications can transition between control access mode and consumption access mode based on their needs. This dynamic approach allows the system to adaptively grant appropriate access levels to different applications at different times, eliminating fixed wait times while maintaining conflict prevention through mode-based arbitration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If exclusive control access is granted to one client application at a time, then the shared resource does not receive conflicting commands, but concurrent access by multiple client applications is prevented

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommand consistencyVSAvoidconcurrent access

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides access rights into segmented modes: control access mode for modifying the shared resource and consumption access mode for reading from it. This segmentation enables concurrent access by differentiating between write operations (controlled to prevent conflicts) and read operations (allowed concurrently to improve productivity). Multiple applications can simultaneously consume data from the shared resource while one application controls modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary access mode system that mediates between control and consumption needs. The consumption access mode acts as an intermediary that allows read access without full control rights, enabling multiple applications to concurrently access the shared resource for reading while one application maintains control for writing, thus resolving the contradiction between command consistency and concurrent access productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If a uniform interface is provided for multiple client applications to access a shared data stream, then ease of operation is improved, but synchronization coordination is required to manage concurrent modifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess interfaceVSAvoidsynchronization mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces consumption access mode as an intermediary that simplifies the interface for read-only access while the synchronization mechanism operates transparently in the background. This intermediary approach maintains ease of operation for consuming applications while the underlying synchronization coordination handles the complexity of concurrent modification management, resolving the contradiction between interface simplicity and synchronization complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10530706B2Arbitrating control access to a shared resource across multiple consumers

Publication Date: 2020.01.07 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Techniques for arbitrating control access to a shared resource among multiple client applications concurrently consuming a shared data stream associated with the shared resource are described. A server component instantiates a shared resource component representing the shared resource and associated shared data stream. The server component publishes a shared resource interface that provides central interface for the multiple client applications to access the shared resource and associated shared data stream. Each client application may access the shared resource in either control mode or shared mode to consume the shared data stream. In control mode, the client application has read-write access to control parameters representing a configuration of the shared resource that are usable to modify aspects of the shared data stream. In shared mode, the client application has read-only access to the control parameters.