US 8,413,149 B2Granted

Priority based processor reservations

AssigneeSony Corporation

InventorYukiyoshi Hirose

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Abstract

An information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing system, and an information processing program are provided. The present invention can execute distributed processing effectively with certainty among different information processing apparatus connected through a common network. Each of first to fourth information processing apparatus includes a main processor and sub processors. When sub processor programs are to be executed by sub processors in response to an operation of a user, the first apparatus secures a necessary number of free sub processors if this is determined possible. If the necessary number of free sub processors are not available, then the first apparatus successively issues a request to secure sub processors to the other apparatus. If the necessary number of sub processors cannot be secured from among free sub processors in the entire network, those sub processors which are executing sub processor programs having a lower priority are secured for execution of the sub processor programs.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An information processing apparatus connected to a different information processing apparatus through a network, said information processing apparatus comprising:

a main processor;
a first sub processor configured to execute a first program having a first priority;
a second sub processor configured to execute a second program having a second priority;
and
a memory device storing instructions which when executed by the main processor, cause the main processor to operate with the first sub processor and the second processor to:
(a) manage said first sub processor and said second sub processor using a management table, said management table including:
(i) a first identifier for specifying said first sub processor;
(ii) a second identifier for specifying said second sub processor;
and
(iii) use situation information representative of whether or not:
(A) said first sub processor specified with the first identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
and
(B) said second sub processor specified with the second identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
(b) in response to a securing request from the different information processing apparatus, said securing request indicating a first number of processors and a program priority:
(i) determine a second number of processors, the second number indicating a quantity of said sub processors which are not executing nor are reserved for execution of a program;
(ii) if said determined second number is less than said first number:
(A) for the first sub processor, determine whether the first priority is lower than the program priority;
(B) if the first priority is lower than the program priority, for the different information processing apparatus, secure said first sub processor;
(C) for the second sub processor, determine whether the second priority is lower than the program priority;
and
(D) if the second priority is lower than the program priority, for the different information processing apparatus, secure said second sub processor;
and
(iii) rewrite said management table.

20 more elements

An information processing system comprising:

a first information processing apparatus connected to a network, said first information processing apparatus including:
(a) a first main processor;
(b) a first sub processor configured to execute a first program having a first priority;
(c) a second sub processor configured to execute a second program having a second priority;
(d) a first memory device storing instructions which when executed by the first main processor, cause the first main processor to manage said first sub processor and said second sub processor using a first management table, said first management table including:
(i) a first identifier for specifying said first sub processor;
(ii) a second identifier for specifying said second sub processor;
and
(iii) first use situation information representative of whether or not:
(A) said first sub processor specified with the first identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
and
(B) said second processor specified with the second identifier is reserved for execution of a program;
a second information processing apparatus connected to the network, said second information processing apparatus including:
(a) a second main processor;
(b) a third sub processor configured to execute a thirds program having a third priority;
(c) a fourth sub processor configured to execute a fourth program having a fourth priority;
and
(d) a second memory device storing instructions which when executed by the second main processor, cause the second main processor to:
(i) manage said third sub processor and said fourth sub processor using a second management table, said second management table including:
(A) a third identifier for specifying said third sub processor;
(B) a fourth identifier for specifying said fourth sub processor;
and
(C) second use situation information representative of whether or not:
(x) said third sub processor specified with the third identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
and
(y) said fourth sub processor specified with the fourth identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
(ii) transmit a securing request to the first information processing apparatus, said securing request indicating a first number of processors and a program priority, wherein in response to said first information processing apparatus receiving said securing request, said first information processing apparatus:
(A) determines a second number of processors, the second number indicating a quantity of sub processors of said first information processing apparatus which are not executing nor are reserved for execution of a program;
(B) if said determined second number is less than said first number:
(I) for the first sub processor, determines whether the first priority is lower than the program priority;
(II) if the first priority is lower than the program priority, for the second information processing apparatus, secures said first sub processor;
(III) for the second sub processor, determines whether the second priority is lower than the program priority;
and
(IV) if the second priority is lower than the program priority, for the second information processing apparatus, secures said second sub processor;
and
(V) rewrites said first management table.

33 more elements

A method of operating an information processing system comprising:

(a) providing a first information processing apparatus including:
(i) a first main processor;
(ii) a first sub processor configured to execute a first program having a first priority;
(iii) a second sub processor configured to execute a second program having a second priority;
(iv) a first memory device storing instructions;
(b) causing the main processor to execute the instructions to manage said first sub processor and said second sub processor using, a first management table, said first management table including:
(i) a first identifier for specifying said first sub processor;
(ii) a second identifier for specifying said second sub processor;
and
(iii) first use situation information representative of whether or not:
(A) said first sub processor specified with the first identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
and
(B) said second processor specified with the second identifier is reserved for execution of a program;
(c) providing a second information processing apparatus including:
(i) a second main processor;
(ii) a third sub processor configured to execute a third program having a third priority;
(iii) a fourth sub processor configured to execute a fourth program having a fourth priority;
and
(iv) a second memory device storing second instructions
(d) causing the second main processor to execute the second instruction to manage said third sub processor using, a second management table, said second management table including:
(i) a third identifier for specifying said third sub processor;
(ii) a fourth identifier for specifying said fourth sub processor;
and
(iii) second use situation information representative of whether or not:
(A) said third sub processor specified with the third identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
and,
(B) said fourth sub processor specified with the fourth identifier is executing or is reserved for execution of a program;
(e) causing the second information processing apparatus to transmit a securing request to the first information processing apparatus, said securing request indicating a first number of processors and a program priority;
(f) in response to said first information processing apparatus receiving said securing request;
(i) causing said first main processor to execute the instructions to determine a second number of processors, the second number indicating a quantity of sub processors of said first information processing apparatus which are not executing nor are reserved for execution of a program;
(ii) if said determined second number is less than said first number:
(A) causing the first main processor to execute the instructions to, for the first sub processor, determine whether the first priority is lower than the program priority, and
(B) if the first priority is lower than the program priority, causing the first main processor to execute the instructions to, for the second information processing apparatus, secure said first sub processor;
(C) for the second sub processor, causing the first main processor to execute the instructions to determine whether the second priority is lower than the program priority;
and
(D) if the second priority is lower than the program priority, for the second information processing apparatus, causing the first main processor to execute the instruction to secure said second sub processor;
and
(iii) causing said first main processor to execute the instructions to rewrite said first management table.

35 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.