System for locating resources resided in a distributing processing system by sequentially transmitting resource inquiries through a looped transmission line

A resource management system in a distributed processing system, said management system comprising:

• a plurality of arithmetic processing means;
• at least one resource belonging to each arithmetic processing means;
• a unidirectional looped transmission line interconnecting said plurality of arithmetic processing means for exchanging information therebetween;
• and
• storage means provided in each of said plurality of arithmetic processing means, for storing a resource management table which registers an identification code and attribute information of a resource belonging to said arithmetic processing means, said attribute information including information for specifying a location of said resource;
• and
• a first one of said plurality of arithmetic processing means including means for effecting an inquiry through said transmission line, to all other arithmetic processing means to determine whether any one of said other arithmetic processing means contains a resource represented by an identification code desired by said first arithmetic processing means;
• wherein, said inquiry being performed by sending an inquiry request from said first one of said arithmetic processing means to a second arithmetic proceeding means of said other arithmetic processing means, determining by said second arithmetic processing means whether a resource requested by said inquiry request is contained therein, and if said requested resource is not contained in said second arithmetic processing means sequentially passing said inquiry request to each of said other arithmetic processing means until said requested resource is found;
• and
• wherein each of said other arithmetic processing means includes means for making reference to the resource management table contained therein to examine whether it contains the desired resource and means for effecting a response processing to transmit, through said transmission line, an identification code and attribute information of said desired resource to said first arithmetic processing means when said reference means detects said desired resource so that said first arithmetic processing means can access said desired resource by using said attribute information.