Shared memory data processing system

Claim 2

A data processing system comprising: a first control means, a second control means, a bulk memory shared by said first and said second control means; timing means for generating output signals for defining recurring basic time cycles, each time cycle having at least first and second portions, and means for controlling access to said memory responsive to output signals of said timing means to give access priority to said first control means during said first portion of each of said time cycles, and to give access priority to said second control means during said second portion of each of said time cycles.

Claim 3

A data processing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second control means includes circuit means defining work to be completed by said second control means during each of said basic time cycles, register means for recording the completion of said work, means for resetting said register means, and means responsive to output signals of said register means for inhibiting access of said second control means to said shared memory during at least a part of a second time portion of a basic cycle and for making said shared memory available to said first control means during said part of said second time portion.

Claim 4

A data processing system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said system further comprises: an input-output system shared by said first and said second control means, said first and said second control means arranged to have priority access to said input-output system in accordance with the priorities established for access of said first and said second control means to said shared memory.

Claim 5

A telephone switching system comprising: a communication switching network, a plurality of communication paths terminating on said switching network, scanning means for determining the supervisory states of said communication paths circuits in accordance with command signals, network control means for controlling the establishment of paths through said switching network in accordance with command signals, and means for controlling said communication path circuits in accordance with command signals; a program controlled processor comprising: a first control means and a program memory containing sequences of program order words for controlling said control means and containing data discrete to said control means; a wired logic second control means; and a bulk data memory shared by said first and said second control means, both said first and said second control means including means for generating said command signals for controlling said scanning means; said first and said second control means each including means for reading information from and writing information into said shared data memory; timing means for defining recurring basic time cycles, each basic time cycle having at least a first and a second portion; and means responsive to output signals of said timing means for defining priority access to said shared memory for said first control means during said first portions of time and for defining priority access for said second control means during said second portions of time.

Claim 6

A telephone switching system comprising: a communication switching network, a plurality of communication paths terminating on said switching network, scanning means for determining the supervisory states of said communication paths circuits in accordance with command signals, network control means for controlling the establishment of paths through said switching network in accordance with command signals, and means for controlling said communication path circuits in accordance with command signals; a program controlled processor comprising: a first control means and a program memory containing sequences of program order words for controlling said control means and containing data discrete to said control means; a wired logic second control means; and a bulk data memory shared by said first and said second control means, both said first and said second control means including means for generating said command signals for controlling said scanning means; said first and said second control means each including means for reading information from and writing information into said shared data memory; timing means for defining recurring basic time cycles, each basic time cycle having at least a first and a second portion; and means responsive to output signals of said timing means for defining priority access to said shared memory for said first control means during said first portions of time and for defining priority access for said second control means during said second portions of time.

Claim 7

A data processing system comprising: a plurality of data transmitting channels, a data output register having a number of bit positions equal in number to the number of data transmitting channels; a program controlled processor comprising a first control means and a bulk memory containing sequences of program order words for controlling said first control means and containing data discrete to said control means; a wired logic control means; and a bulk memory shared by said first and said second control means, said shared memory containing data required by both said first and said second control means, said data including word organized data to be transmitted by said Data transmitting channels, said data comprising a plurality of data words, said plurality being equal in number to the number of bits of a data message, each of said data words having a number of bit positions equal in number to the number of data transmitting channels in a group; timing means for defining recurring basic time cycles; said second control means includes means for reading a current data word from said shared data memory to said data output register during each of said recurring time cycles and means for controlling said data transmitting channels to transmit the contents of said data buffer register at a time corresponding to the end of each basic time cycle.

Claim 8

A data processing system comprising: a plurality of data transmitting channels, a data output register having a number of bit positions equal in number to the number of data transmitting channels; a program controlled processor comprising a first control means and a bulk memory containing sequences of program order words for controlling said first control means and containing data discrete to said control means; a wired logic control means; and a bulk memory shared by said first and said second control means, said shared memory containing data required by both said first and said second control means, said data including word organized data to be transmitted by said Data transmitting channels, said data comprising a plurality of data words, said plurality being equal in number to the number of bits of a data message, each of said data words having a number of bit positions equal in number to the number of data transmitting channels in a group; timing means for defining recurring basic time cycles; said second control means includes means for reading a current data word from said shared data memory to said data output register during each of said recurring time cycles and means for controlling said data transmitting channels to transmit the contents of said data buffer register at a time corresponding to the end of each basic time cycle.

Claim 9

A data processing system comprising, a first control means, a second control means, a bulk memory shared by said first and said second control means; timing means for generating output signals for defining recurring basic time cycles, times within said basic time cycles, and pluralities of said time cycles, each said basic time cycle having at least first and second portions, a plurality of circuit means for generating output signals for defining a quota of work to be completed by said second control means at a rate which corresponds to said basic time cycle, first register means for maintaining a record of work completed, means for resetting said register means, said first control means comprising means for reading information from and for writing information into said bulk memory, means for generating signals for inhibiting said second control means from accessing said shared memory, and inhibiting means enabled in response to output signals of said timing means and of said register means for generating signals for inhibiting said first control means from accessing said shared memory during at least a part of the second portion of each of said time cycles.

Claim 10

A data processing system comprising, a first control means, a second control means, a bulk memory shared by said first and said second control means; timing means for generating output signals for defining recurring basic time cycles, times within said basic time cycles, and pluralities of said time cycles, each said basic time cycle having at least first and second portions, a plurality of circuit means for generating output signals for defining a quota of work to be completed by said second control means at a rate which corresponds to said basic time cycle, first register means for maintaining a record of work completed, means for resetting said register means, said first control means comprising means for reading information from and for writing information into said bulk memory, means for generating signals for inhibiting said second control means from accessing said shared memory, and inhibiting means enabled in response to output signals of said timing means and of said register means for generating signals for inhibiting said first control means from accessing said shared memory during at least a part of the second portion of each of said time cycles.

Claim 11

A data processing system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said second control means comprises means responsive to output signals of said timing means and of said work defining means for performing said quota of work, said last named means comprising means for reading information from said shared bulk memory, means for interpreting said information and other data and for generating new data to be stored in said shared memory, means for writing information into said shared memory.

Claim 12

A data processing system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said quota of work comprises nondeferrable work which must be completed prior to the end of the associated basic time cycle, the processor time required for completing said nondeferrable work being equal to or less than the timed duration of said second portion of said basic time cycle, and deferrable work which can be deferred until the first portion of the immediately succeeding basic time cycle; and said inhibiting means is enabled by a timing signal which precedes the end of a basic time cycle by a period of time which at least equals said time required for completion of said nondeferrable work.

Claim 13

A data processing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein: said inhibiting means is enabled in response to output signals of said register means which specify that quota work remains to be performed.

Claim 14

A data processing system in accordance with claim 8 wherein: said inhibiting means comprises a bistable circuit element which is reset in response to output signals of said timing means and to an output signal of said register means which specifies that said quota of work has been completed.

Claim 15

A data processing system in accordance with claim 6 wherein: said second control means comprises register means for defining additional work beyond said quota of work; and said second control means is responsive to said output signal of said first register means specifying that said quota of work has been completed and to output signals of said timing means for performing said nonquota work.

Claim 16

A data processing system in accordance with claim 11 wherein: said nonquota work comprises the interrogation of information sources to detect requests for attention by said data processing system; and wherein said second control means halts performance of said nonquota work and generates a halted signal when a request for attention is detected; and said first control means in response to output signals of said timing means and to said halted signal places in said shared memory data defining the information source requesting attention.