US 2011/0214128 A1 · ONE-TIME INITIALIZATION

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention are directed at providing safe and efficient ways for a program to perform a one-time initialization of a data item in a multi-threaded environment. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that allows a program to perform a synchronized initialization of a data item that may be accessed by multiple threads. More specifically, the method includes receiving a request to initialize the data item from a current thread. In response to receiving the request, the method determines whether the current thread is the first thread to attempt to initialize the data item. If the current thread is the first thread to attempt to initialize the data item, the method enforces mutual exclusion and blocks other attempts to initialize the data item made by concurrent threads. Then, the current thread is allowed to execute program code provided by the program to initialize the data item.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A non-blocking method for initializing data in a multi-threaded environment, the non-blocking method comprising:

allowing, in response to a first thread attempting to initialize the data and to an initialization state of the data not indicating “initializing” or “initialized”, continued execution of the first thread of a plurality of threads all being conventionally concurrently executed by at least one processor;
and
wherein the non-blocking method does not enforce mutual exclusion among multiple of the plurality of threads attempting to concurrently initialize the data.

At least one computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a non-blocking method for initializing data in a multi-threaded environment, the non-blocking method comprising:

allowing, in response to a first thread attempting to initialize the data and to an initialization state of the data not indicating “initializing” or “initialized”, continued execution of the first thread of a plurality of threads all being conventionally concurrently executed by at least one processor;
and
wherein the non-blocking method does not enforce mutual exclusion among multiple of multiple of the plurality of threads attempting to concurrently initialize the data.

A system configured for initializing data in a multi-threaded environment, the system comprising:

at least one processor configured for allowing, in response to a first thread attempting to initialize the data and to an initialization state of the data not indicating “initializing” or “initialized”, continued execution of the first thread of a plurality of threads all being conventionally concurrently executed by the at least one processor;
and
wherein the non-blocking method does not enforce mutual exclusion among multiple of multiple of the plurality of threads attempting to concurrently initialize the data.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

One-time initialization

Life of this patent

One-time initialization

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20