Regulating access to a scarce resource
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsSean James Martin, Chetan Ram Murthy, Andrew James Stanford-Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to regulating access by users to a scarce resource, wherein the resource is capable of handling multiple concurrent accesses. A request for access to the scarce resource is received and it is determined whether the access level for the scarce resource is at a desired maximum. Responsive to determining that said access level is at a desired maximum, the requester is placed in a queue for access to said scarce resource. The requester is then provided with a notification that the request has been enqueued. Access is available to the requester upon reaching the head of the queue when the access level drops below the desired maximum.
Claims38
A method for regulating access by users to a scarce resource, said resource being capable of handling multiple concurrent accesses, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a request for access to the scarce resource;
- determining whether the access level for said scarce resource is at a desired maximum, the desired maximum indicating a predetermined maximum number of users, the desired maximum indicating a plurality of users and being independent of a maximum physical capacity for the scarce resource, that it is desired be simultaneously accessing the scarce resource;
- responsive to determining that said access level is at a desired maximum, placing said requester in a queue for access to said scarce resource;
- providing said requester with a notification that the request has been enqueued, access being available to said requester upon reaching the head of the queue and said access level dropping below said desired maximum,
- receiving a late request for access to said scarce resource;
- identifying the late request as being one from said requester that was previously enqueued but for which access was missed when it became available;
- determining, upon receipt of the late request, whether the access level for said scarce resource is currently at a desired maximum;
- responsive to determining that said access level is currently at a desired maximum, determining whether said scarce resource is able to accommodate immediate access by said late requester;
- responsive to determining that it is possible to accommodate immediate access, by said requester, granting immediate access to said requester;
- and
- responsive to determining that it is not possible to accommodate immediate access by said requester, re-queuing said requester;
- wherein an enqueued user may remain enqueued while navigating an application used to access the scarce resource away from the scarce resource.
An apparatus for regulating access by users to a scarce resource, said resource being capable of handling multiple concurrent accesses, the apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory, the memory including:
- means for receiving a request for access to the scarce resource;
- means for determining whether the access level for said scarce resource is at a desired maximum, the desired maximum indicating a predetermined maximum number of users, the desired maximum indicating a plurality of users and being independent of a maximum physical capacity for the scarce resource, that it is desired be simultaneously accessing the scarce resource;
- means, responsive to determining that said access level is at a desired maximum, for placing said requester in a queue for access to said scarce resource;
- means for providing said requester with a notification that the request has been enqueued;
- access being available to said requester upon reaching the head of the queue and said access level dropping below said desired maximum,
- means for receiving a late request for access to said scarce resource;
- means for identifying the late request as being one from said requester that was previously enqueued but for which access was missed when it became available;
- from said requester having missed access when available;
- means for determining, upon receipt of the late request, whether the access level for said scarce resource is currently at a desired maximum;
- means for determining, responsive to determining that said access level is currently at a desired maximum, whether said scarce resource is able to accommodate immediate access by said late requester;
- means, responsive to determining that it is possible to accommodate immediate access by said requester, for granting immediate access to said requester;
- and
- means, responsive to determining that it is not possible to accommodate immediate access by said requester, for re-queuing said requester;
- wherein an enqueued user may remain enqueued while navigating an application used to access the scarce resource away from the scarce resource.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.