System and method for implementing a multi-threaded device driver in a computer system

A chip comprising:

• a first processor core;
• a second processor core;
• and
• a polling device driver partitioned into a first driver thread executed by the first processor core and a second driver thread executed by the second processor core, wherein:
• the first driver thread is to execute a first operation on a device during a pre-determined time slot configured for the first driver thread, the device having one of a first state indicating that the device is unscouted and inactive, a second state, a third state, or a fourth state, the first driver thread executing the first operation while the device is in the fourth state, the fourth state indicating that the first driver threshold has an exclusive ownership of the device;
• the second driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the second state, the second state indicating that the device is still controlled by the first driver thread while executing the first operation on the device;
• the first driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the second state to the fourth state, the transition from the second state to the fourth state indicating that the second driver thread will claim the exclusive ownership of the device after the first driver thread completes execution of the first operation;
• the second driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the third state, the third state indicating that the first driver thread has completed the first operation and relinquishes the exclusive ownership of the device;
• and
• the second driver is to execute a second operation on the device after the device has transitioned from the third state back to the fourth state, the transition back to the fourth state indicates that the second driver thread has exclusive ownership of the device.

A method comprising:

• executing, by a first processor core, a first driver thread of a polling device driver to perform a first operation on a device during a pre-determined time slot configured for the first driver thread, the device having one of a first state indicating that the device is unscouted and inactive, a second state, a third state, or a fourth state, wherein the first operation is performed while the device is in the fourth state, the fourth state indicating that the first driver threshold has an exclusive ownership of the device;
• executing, by a second processor core, a second driver thread of the polling device driver to determine that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the second state, the second state indicating that the device is still controlled by the first driver thread while performing the first operation on the device;
• determining, by the first driver thread, that the device has transitioned from the second state to the fourth state, the transition from the second state to the fourth state indicating that the second driver thread will claim the exclusive ownership of the device after the first driver thread completes execution of the first operation;
• determining, by the second driver thread, that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the third state, the third state indicating that the first driver thread has completed the first operation and relinquishes the exclusive ownership of the device;
• and
• performing, by the second driver thread, a second operation on the device after the device has transitioned from the third state back to the fourth state, the transition back to the fourth state indicates that the second driver thread has exclusive ownership of the device.

A chip comprising:

• a first socket comprising a first multi-core processor;
• a second socket comprising a second multi-core processor, wherein the first multi-core processor comprises:
• a first processor core;
• a second processor core;
• and
• a polling device driver partitioned into a first driver thread executed by the first processor core and a second driver thread executed by the second processor core,
• wherein:
• the first driver thread is to execute a first operation on a device during a pre-determined time slot configured for the first driver thread, the device having one of a first state indicating that the device is unscouted and inactive, a second state, a third state, or a fourth state, the first driver thread executing the first operation while the device is in the fourth state, the fourth state indicating that the first driver threshold has an exclusive ownership of the device;
• the second driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the second state, the second state indicating that the device is still controlled by the first driver thread while executing the first operation on the device;
• the first driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the second state to the fourth state, the transition from the second state to the fourth state indicating that the second driver thread will claim the exclusive ownership of the device after the first driver thread completes execution of the first operation;
• the second driver thread is to determine that the device has transitioned from the fourth state to the third state, the third state indicating that the first driver thread has completed the first operation and relinquishes the exclusive ownership of the device;
• and
• the second driver is to execute a second operation on the device after the device has transitioned from the third state back to the fourth state, the transition back to the fourth state indicates that the second driver thread has exclusive ownership of the device.