Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
294 words
A method to preserve system resources during the execution of distributed application programs in an SNA type data processing network that supports program to program communication between an Intelligent Work Station (IWS) and a host processor in accordance with SNA Logical Unit 6.2 protocols when a Virtual Machine Pool Manager exists at said host processor and functions to, (1) create a pool of virtual machines at said host processor that are brought to a run ready state prior to any said program to program communication, (2) dynamically assign an idle run ready virtual machine to process each said request from said IWS involving one said application program so that sequential said request are assigned to different ones of said idle virtual machines and run concurrently, and 3) provide a Pool Manager Data Structure for use by said Pool Manager during said step of dynamically assigning said idle run ready virtual machines in said pool; said method comprising the following steps, A) providing an Operating System for said IWS which attaches an process identifier (PRID) and a thread identifier (THRID) to predefined segments of said resident application program that include LU 6.2 type conversation requests, B) transmitting said PRID and THRID identifiers to said host at the time said request is transmitted to said host to permit said Virtual Machine Pool Manager to decide based on said transmitted identifiers and previously received THRID identifiers whether to assign said request to an active or idle virtual machine in said pool, C) executing said segments concurrently on different assigned virtual machines at said host when said segments of said application program have different THRIDs, and D) executing said segments serially on the same assigned virtual machine when said segments of said application program have the same THRIDs.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
294 words
A method to preserve system resources during the execution of distributed application programs in an SNA type data processing network that supports program to program communication between an Intelligent Work Station (IWS) and a host processor in accordance with SNA Logical Unit 6.2 protocols when a Virtual Machine Pool Manager exists at said host processor and functions to, (1) create a pool of virtual machines at said host processor that are brought to a run ready state prior to any said program to program communication, (2) dynamically assign an idle run ready virtual machine to process each said request from said IWS involving one said application program so that sequential said request are assigned to different ones of said idle virtual machines and run concurrently, and 3) provide a Pool Manager Data Structure for use by said Pool Manager during said step of dynamically assigning said idle run ready virtual machines in said pool; said method comprising the following steps, A) providing an Operating System for said IWS which attaches an process identifier (PRID) and a thread identifier (THRID) to predefined segments of said resident application program that include LU 6.2 type conversation requests, B) transmitting said PRID and THRID identifiers to said host at the time said request is transmitted to said host to permit said Virtual Machine Pool Manager to decide based on said transmitted identifiers and previously received THRID identifiers whether to assign said request to an active or idle virtual machine in said pool, C) executing said segments concurrently on different assigned virtual machines at said host when said segments of said application program have different THRIDs, and D) executing said segments serially on the same assigned virtual machine when said segments of said application program have the same THRIDs.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method recited in claim 1 in which said application program comprises process type segments and thread type segments and which said step of providing said IWS Operating System includes the further step of, A) assigning with said IWS Operating System said Process identifier (PRID) and a Thread identifier (THRID) to each type segment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method recited in claim 2 in which said assigning step further includes the step of, A) assigning the same THRID to different Thread segments that are coded to run serially.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method recited in claim 3 in which said assigning step further includes the step of, A) assigning a different THRID to different Thread segments that are coded to run concurrently.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method recited in claim 4 in which said Virtual Machine Pool Manager (VMPM) Data structure is maintained by said VMPM and includes a multi-field entry for each virtual machine that is created for said pool, including the further step of, A) storing said identifiers that are transmitted, in different said fields of said entry in said Data Structure which is associated with the Virtual Machine assigned to process the request contained in that segment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method recited in claim 5 further including the step of, A) comparing each transmitted identifier to entries in said Data Structure to determine which virtual machine to assign to said conversation request that was transmitted with said identifiers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
80 words
The method recited in claim 2 in which said IWS is an IBM PS/2 type personal computer and said IWS Operating System is the IBM OS/2 operating system, and said step of assigning includes the further step of, A) assigning both a PRID and a THRID to each thread segment of said application, so that all threads in the same process have the same PRID, and all threads in the same process that can be run concurrently have different THRIDs.