Object-oriented multi-media architecture

A byte-code interpreted, hardware neutral, computer-implemented virtual machine method of converting an input stream of byte codes compiled from an object-oriented, multi-media source program into a plurality of process threads for parallel execution in real-time, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a list of available hardware resources;
• reconstructing a plurality of program objects and threads from the input stream of byte codes;
• correlating the reconstructed program objects and threads to a list of the available hardware resources;
• and
• routing each of the reconstructed program objects and threads to a respective selected one of the hardware resources for substantially parallel execution, thereby providing improved execution performance while maintaining portability of the byte codes.

A byte code interpreted, hardware neutral, computer-implemented virtual machine method of converting an input stream of byte codes compiled from an object-oriented, multi-media source program into a plurality of process threads for parallel execution in real-time, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a list of available hardware resources;
• reconstructing a plurality of program objects and threads from the input stream of byte codes;
• correlating the reconstructed program objects and threads to a list of the available hardware resources;
• routing each of the reconstructed program objects and threads to a respective selected one of the hardware resources for substantially parallel execution, thereby providing improved execution performance while maintaining portability of the byte codes;
• and
• supporting predetermined synchronization methods defined in the multi-media application, the synchronization methods allowing multiple threads within the multi-media application access to and exclusive control of shared resources.

A system for real-time processing of an incoming stream of object-oriented, multi-media data comprising:

• input means for receiving the incoming stream of data;
• a plurality of hardware processors arranged in parallel;
• a virtual machine computer program coupled to the input means and including means for reconstructing a software thread from the input data, means for translating the reconstructed software thread into a corresponding executable process, means for selecting an appropriate one of the hardware processors for executing the corresponding executable process, and means for routing the corresponding executable process to the selected hardware processor for execution;
• and
• a micro-kernel operating system for managing the plurality of hardware processors, the micro-kernel operating system including means for surveying the hardware processors so as to provide a list of available processors to the virtual machine program for use in connection with said selecting an appropriate one of the hardware processors for executing the corresponding executable process.

A system for real-time processing of an incoming stream of pseudo-language byte codes compiled from an object-oriented source program, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• input means for receiving the incoming stream of byte codes;
• a plurality of hardware processors arranged in parallel, wherein the processors include at least one multi-media processor dedicated to execution of a selected multi-media method;
• and
• a virtual machine computer program stored in the memory and coupled to the input means and including:
• means for reconstructing a plurality of distinct process threads from the byte codes;
• means for translating the reconstructed software threads into corresponding executable processes;
• means for selecting a respective hardware processor for execution of each of the process threads;
• means for routing each of the process threads to the corresponding selected hardware processor for parallel execution as lightweight processes;
• and
• means for routing a multi-media process thread to the multi-media processor.

A system for real-time processing of an incoming stream of pseudo-language byte codes compiled from an object-oriented source program, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• input means for receiving the incoming stream of byte codes;
• a plurality of hardware processors arranged in parallel, wherein the processors include at least one audio processor dedicated to execution of audio data;
• and
• a virtual machine computer program stored in the memory and coupled to the input means and including:
• means for reconstructing a plurality of distinct process threads from the byte codes;
• means for translating the reconstructed software threads into corresponding executable processes;
• means for selecting a respective hardware processor for execution of each of the process threads;
• means for routing each of the process threads to the corresponding selected hardware processor for parallel execution as lightweight processes;
• and
• means for routing an audio process thread to the audio processor.

A system for real-time processing of an incoming stream of pseudo-language byte codes compiled from an object-oriented source program, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• input means for receiving the incoming stream of byte codes;
• a plurality of hardware processors arranged in parallel, wherein the processors include at least one graphics decompression processor dedicated to decompression of graphics data;
• and
• a virtual machine computer program stored in the memory and coupled to the input means and including:
• means for reconstructing a plurality of distinct process threads from the byte codes;
• means for translating the reconstructed software threads into corresponding executable processes;
• means for selecting a respective hardware processor for execution of each of the process threads;
• means for routing each of the process threads to the corresponding selected hardware processor for parallel execution as lightweight processes;
• and
• means for routing a graphics process thread to the graphics decompression processor.

A system for real-time processing of an incoming stream of pseudo-language byte codes compiled from an object-oriented source program, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• input means for receiving the incoming stream of byte codes;
• a plurality of hardware processors arranged in parallel, wherein the processors include at least one graphics rendering processor dedicated to rendering graphics data;
• and
• a virtual machine computer program stored in the memory and coupled to the input means and including:
• means for reconstructing a plurality of distinct process threads from the byte codes;
• means for translating the reconstructed software threads into corresponding executable processes;
• means for selecting a respective hardware processor for execution of each of the process threads;
• means for routing each of the process threads to the corresponding selected hardware processor for parallel execution as lightweight processes;
• and
• means for routing a graphics process thread to the graphics rendering processor.

A byte code interpreted, hardware neutral, computer-implemented virtual machine method of converting an input stream of byte codes compiled from an object-oriented, multi-media source program into a plurality of process threads for parallel execution in real-time, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a list of available hardware resources, wherein the list of available hardware resources includes, for each hardware resource, an indication of a specific multi-media function, if any, for which the hardware resource is specially adapted;
• reconstructing a plurality of program objects and threads from the input stream of byte codes;
• correlating the reconstructed program objects and threads to the list of the available hardware resources, including comparing the program objects and threads to the list so as to identify those hardware resources, if any, that are specially adapted to executing any of the program objects and threads;
• and
• routing each of the reconstructed program objects and threads to a respective selected one of the hardware resources for substantially parallel execution, thereby providing improved execution performance while maintaining portability of the byte codes, including binding the program objects and threads to the corresponding identified hardware resources for execution.

A byte code interpreted, hardware neutral, computer-implemented virtual machine method of converting an input stream of byte codes compiled from an object-oriented, multi-media source program into a plurality of process threads for parallel execution in real-time, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a list of available hardware resources, wherein the hardware resources include a plurality of processors, each processor optimized for its primary function;
• reconstructing a plurality of program objects and threads from the input stream of byte codes;
• correlating the reconstructed program objects and threads to the list of the available hardware resources;
• routing each of the reconstructed program objects and threads to a respective selected one of the hardware resources for substantially parallel execution, thereby providing improved execution performance while maintaining portability of the byte codes;
• and
• providing a coherent, global cache memory coupled to each of a plurality of the processors to improve performance.