Multiprocessor memory management method and apparatus

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT, the first control means are for assigning (611) processes to the processors; and each second control means are for allocating (650-657) memory to process assigned to the associated processor.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the first control means comprise means (610-614, 630-632) for assigning processes to the processors and further for transferring memory included in the first memory portion to the second memory portion for each assigned process, both portions being of the processor to which the process is assigned; and each of the second control means comprise means (650-657) for allocating memory included in the second memory portion to processes assigned to the associated processor.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the first control means and second control means cooperate to transfer (FIGS. 7, 9) memory between the first memory portion and the second memory portion of the processor associated with the second control means, on the basis of amount of memory included in the second portion and unallocated to processes.

Claim 6

The appartaus of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each second control means are further for deallocating (800-806) allocated memory from processes to the second memory portion of the associated processor; and the first control means and second control means cooperate to transfer (FIG. 9) memory from the second memory portion to the first memory portion, both portions being of the processor associated with the second control means, when amount of unallocated memory in the second memory portion exceeds a predetermined maximum, and further transfer (FIG. 7) memory from the first memory portion to the second memory portion when amount of unallocated memory in the second memory portion is exceeded by a predetermined minimum.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each memory is logically divided into a global memory portion (42), an unallocated local memory portion (45), and an allocated local memory portion (46); the first control means are for assigning (611) processes to the processors and further for transferring (612-614, 630-632) for each assigned process memory included in the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion of the processor to which the process is assigned; and the second control means are each for transferring (650-657) memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the allocated local memory portion of the associated processor to allocate the transferred memory to processes assigned to the associated processor, and further for transferring (FIG. 8) memory from the allocated local memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion of the associated processor to deallocate the transferred memory from processes assigned to the associated processor. the first control means and the second control means cooperating (FIGS. 5-9) to transfer memory between the global memory portion and the unallocated local memory portion, both memory portions being of the processor associated with the second control means, in response to occurrence of predetermined conditions.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each second control means comprise different second table means (Fig. 3) including a first entry (201) for storing an indication of amount of memory included in the global memory portion and a second entry (202) for storing an indication of amount of memory included in the unallocated local memory portion, both memory portions being of the associated processor, and operating system kernel means (31), responsive to a call for duplication of a process assigned to the processor associated with the second control means, for examining (500-502) the first entry of the second table means to determine whether the global memory portion includes an amount of memory required by the duplicated process, and for requesting (503-504) the first control means to allow the duplication if the global memory portion includes the required amount of memory; the first control means comprise first table means (Fig. 2) including a plurality of entries (212-213) each associated with a different one of the plurality of processors and for storing an indication of amount of memory included in the global memory portion of the associated processor, and operating system process managing means (30), responsive to the request to allow the duplication, for examining (510,511) the first table means' entry associated with the processor of the requesting second control means to determine whether the global memory portion of the processor includes the required amount of memory, and for both (a) decrementing (512-513) the processor's associated entry in the first table means by the required amount to initiate transfer of the required amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion and (b) notifying (514) the second control means of grant of the request for duplication, if the global memory portion includes the required amount of memory; and the kernel means of the requesting second control means further responsive to notice of the grant, for both (a) incrementing (520-522) the second entry and decrementing the first entry of the second table means by the required amount to complete transfer of the required amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion, and (b) decrementing (523-527) the second entry of the second table means by the required amount to transfer the required amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the allocated local memory portion for allocation to the duplicated process.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the first control means comprise first table means (Fig. 2) including a plurality of entries (212-213) each associated with a different one of the plurality of processor and for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion of the associated processor, and operating system process managing means (30), responsive to a call from a calling processor for transformation of a process, for selecting (610-611) a processor for assignment to the transformed process, the selected processor being of the plurality of processors and having a global memory portion that includes an amount of memory required by the transformed process, and for both (a) decrementing (612) the first table means' entry associated with the selected processor by the required amount to initiate transfer of the required amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion of the selected processor and (b) notifying (613-614) the calling processor of the selection; and each second control means comprise different second table means (Fig. 3) including a first entry (201) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion and a second entry (202) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the unallocated local memory portion, both memory portions being of the associated processor, and operating system kernel means (31), responsive to notice from the calling processor of selection of the associated processor, for both (a) incrementing (650-652) the second entry and decrementing the first entry of the second table means by the required amount to complete transfer of the required amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion, and (b) decrementing (653-657) the second entry of the second table means by the required amount to transfer the required amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the allocated local memory portion for allocation to the transformed process.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each second control means comprise different second table means (FIG. 3) including a first entry (201) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion and a second entry (202) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the unallocated local memory portion, both memory portions being of the associated processor, and operating system kernel means (31), responsive to a call for allocation of a first amount of memory to a process assigned to the associated processor, for examining (700-702) the second entry of the second table means to determine whether the unallocated local memory portion includes an amount of memory suitable to satisfy the call, for requesting (703-706) the first control means to transfer a second amount of memory from the global memory portion to the local memory portion if the unallocated local memory portion does not include a suitable amount of memory, and for decrementing (713-717) the second entry of the second table means by the first amount to transfer the first amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the allocated local memory portion for allocation to the calling process, if the unallocated local memory portion includes a suitable amount of memory; and the first control means comprise first table means (FIG. 2) including a plurality of entries (212-213) each associated with a different one of the plurality of processors and for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion of the associated processor, and operating system process manager means (30), responsive to the transfer request, for decrementing (1100-1103) the first table means' entry associated with the processor of the requesting second control means by the smaller of the second amount and the full amount of memory in the global memory portion of the associated processor to initiate transfer of that smaller amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion, and notifying (1104-1105) the requesting second control means of the result; the kernel means of the requesting second control means further responsive to the notice for both incrementing (710-711) the second entry and decrementing the first entry of the second table means by the amount being transferred to complete transfer of that amount of memory from the global memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion, for examining (712) the second entry of the second table means to determine whether the unallocated local memory portion includes the first amount of memory, and for decrementing (713-717) the second entry by the first amount to transfer the first amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the allocated local memory portion for allocation to the calling process if the unallocated local memory portion includes the first amount of memory.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT each second control means comprise different second table means (FIG. 3) including a first entry (201) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion, and a second entry (202) for storing an indication of amount of memory in the unallocated local memory portion, both memory portions being of the associated processor, and operating system kernel means (31), responsive to a call for deallocation from a process assigned to the associated processor of a first amount of memory allocated thereto, for incrementing (800-802) the second entry of the second table means by the first amount to transfer the first amount of memory from the allocated local memory portion to the unallocated local memory portion to deallocate the first amount of memory from the process, thereafter for examining (804, 900-903) the second entry of the second table means to determine whether the unallocated local memory portion includes an amount of memory in excess of a predetermined amount, and for requesting (904, 907) the first control means to transfer a second amount of memory from the local memory portion to the global memory portion if the unallocated local memory portion exceeds the predetermined amount of memory; and the first control means comprise first table means (Fig. 2) including a plurality of entries (212-213) each associated with a different one of the plurality of processors and for storing an indication of amount of memory in the global memory portion of the associated processor, and operating system process managing means (30), responsive to the transfer request, for incrementing (910-911) the first table means' entry associated with the processor of the requesting second control means by the second amount to initiate transfer of that amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the global memory portion and notifying (912-913) thereof the requesting second control means; the kernel means of the requesting second control means (920-922) further responsive to the notice, for both decrementing the second entry and incrementing the first entry of the second table means by the second amount to complete transfer of that amount of memory from the unallocated local memory portion to the global memory portion.

Claim 14

The method of claim 11 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the step of allocating the first amount of memory comprises the steps of the first control arrangement assigning (611) the process to a first processor having at least the first amount of memory in the first memory portion, the first control arrangement transferring (612-632) the first amount of memory from the first memory portion to the second memory portion of the first processor, and in response to the assignment, allocating (650-657) to the process the first amount of memory by a second control arrangement, dedicated to the first processor and for allocating to processes assigned to the first processor memory included in the second memory portion of the first processor; and the step of requesting a second control arrangement to allocate a second amount of memory comprises the steps of requesting (700) the second control arrangement dedicated to the first processor to allocate a second amount of memory, and requesting (800) the second control arrangement to deallocate a third amount of memory allocated to a process assigned to the first processor; and the step of the second control arrangement allocating memory comprises the steps of in response to the allocation request the second control arrangement allocating (701-717) to the process the second amount of memory of the first processor, and in response to the deallocation request, the second control arrangement deallocating (801-806) the third amount of memory from the process to the second memory portion of the first processor.