Method for enabling several virtual processing units to directly and concurrently access a peripheral unit

A peripheral unit to service virtual processing units implemented by a physical processing unit connected to the peripheral unit and configured to execute a plurality of virtual processing units, the peripheral unit being configured to receive access requests sent by the virtual processing units to access a service provided by the peripheral unit, each access request comprising at least one parameter and an identifier of the virtual processing unit having sent the request, the peripheral unit comprising a plurality of register sets each comprising at least one register for storing parameters transmitted in an access request received, the peripheral unit configured to, after receiving an access request:

• allocate at least one of the register sets to the virtual unit identifier transmitted in the access request received;
• store the parameter transmitted in the access request received in the at least one register sets allocated to the virtual unit identifier transmitted in the access request received;
• and
• when the peripheral unit is available for processing a request, select one of the register sets of the plurality, and trigger a service execution process in the peripheral unit from the parameters stored in the selected register set.

A system comprising:

• a processing system configured to execute virtual processing sessions;
• and
• a peripheral unit including:
• a plurality of sets of data registers, each set having at least one data register, the peripheral unit being configured, in response to a service request received from a virtual processing session, to allocate at least one set of registers in the plurality of sets of registers to the received service request and to store a least one parameter and a session ID associated with the received service request in the at least one set of registers allocated to the received service request;
• an arbitrator configured to select a set of registers of the plurality of sets of registers;
• and
• a service module configured to service a service request to which the selected set of registers is allocated.

A peripheral unit, comprising:

• a plurality of sets of data registers, each set having at least one data register, the peripheral unit configured to respond to a service request received from a virtual processing session by allocating at least one set of registers in the plurality of sets of registers to the received service request and to store a least one parameter and a session ID associated with the received service request in the at least one set of registers allocated to the received service request;
• and
• at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to implement:
• an arbitrator configured to select a set of registers of the plurality of sets of registers;
• and
• a service module configured to service a service request to which the selected set of registers is allocated.

A tangible computer-readable medium whose contents cause a peripheral device to perform a method of servicing service requests from virtual processing sessions, the service requests including at least one parameter and an identifier of an associated virtual processing session, the method comprising:

• allocating a set of at least one register in the peripheral device to each virtual processing session associated with a received service request;
• storing the at least one parameter in the register set allocated to the associated virtual processing session;
• selecting register sets for servicing;
• and
• triggering a service execution process in the peripheral device based on the a least one parameter stored in a corresponding selected register set.

A system comprising:

• means for executing a plurality of virtual processing sessions;
• and
• a peripheral device including:
• means for allocating peripheral device memory to respective virtual processing session service requests;
• means for selecting service requests for servicing;
• and
• means for servicing selected service requests.