Method and apparatus for sharing a time quantum

A method of sharing a time quantum between a plurality of threads in a data processing system, comprising the steps, performed by the data processing system, of:

• initially assigning a number of tickets to the plurality of threads;
• assigning an initial priority to a thread of each of the plurality of processes in accordance with the number of tickets assigned to the threads;
• and
• executing the respective threads of the plurality of processes in an order indicated by the tickets assigned to the plurality of threads, so that the proportion of execution time between any two of the threads is the same as the proportion between the number of tickets of the two processes associated with the threads, the execution step including the substeps of:
• determining that a first thread, which is currently being executed and which has an associated time quantum, is blocked;
• determining a next thread to execute;
• and
• transferring unused time in the time quantum of the first thread to the next thread to execute.

An apparatus to allow sharing a time quantum between threads in a process, comprising:

• a portion configured to determine that a first thread, which is currently being executed by a processor and which has an associated time quantum, is blocked;
• a portion configured to determine a next thread to be executed by the processor;
• and
• a portion configured to transfer unused time in the time quantum of the first thread to the next thread to be executed.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for sharing a time quantum between threads in a process, the computer program product including:
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining that a first thread, which is currently being executed by a processor and which has an associated time quantum, is blocked;
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining a next thread to be executed by the processor;
• and
• computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect transferring unused time in the time quantum of the first thread to the next thread to be executed.

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to share a time quantum between threads in a process by performing the steps of:

• determining that a first thread, which is currently being executed by a processor and which has an associated time quantum, is blocked;
• determining a next thread to be executed by the processor;
• and
• transferring unused time in the time quantum of the first thread to the next thread to be executed.