JP2001306339A - Information processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make plural tasks share with restricted UI resources. SOLUTION: This information processor 1 includes two or more UI realization parts 21, a task managing part 22 and a resource managing part 23. The task managing part 22 imparts a right of use of the UI resource 5 to any one of two or more tasks 20. The resource managing part 23 transmits and receives data and event information only between the task 20 to which the right of use is imparted and the UI resource 5. The task 20 of application uses the UI resource 5 as using any one according to execution environment of the application of all the UI realization parts 21. The right of use is transferred between two tasks 20 in the case of operation of an operating part for instructing start of operation of the application, in the case of starting the operation of the selected application, in the case of elapse of prescribed time from impartment of the right of use to a certain task 20, in the case of generation of an event due to the application under operation, in the case of generation of external interruption and in the case of call between applications respectively.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a configuration in which hardware resources used for a user interface are shared by a plurality of application software tasks.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a terminal having a built-in function, such as a vehicle-mounted terminal and a portable terminal, has a hardware configuration and an operation system (O / O).
A platform including an architecture including S) and the like often has only a function specialized for the purpose of use of the terminal. Similarly, the window system in the terminal with a built-in function often has only a function specialized for the purpose of using the terminal with a built-in function. The window system in such a terminal with a built-in function implements a native execution environment that is an execution environment for native application software. The native application software is described by a native code that depends on a platform of a terminal with a built-in function, and is dependent on an API (Application Programming In) that depends on the platform.
terface). Hereinafter, “application software” is simply referred to as “application”.

[0003] In a conventional terminal with a built-in function, an intermediate code application execution environment is provided so that both a native application and an intermediate code application can operate together on the terminal with a built-in function for function expansion. The virtual machine execution environment may be added to the native execution environment of the terminal with a built-in function. An intermediate code application is an application that is described in an intermediate code that is independent of the platform of a terminal with a built-in function and that is designed to use an API that is independent of the platform.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 10-69394 discloses a system for processing an intermediate code data stream derived from an object-oriented language program in order to ensure portability of applications between various platforms.
The hardware of the processing system includes a plurality of hardware processors provided for parallel processing. Each hardware processor is designed or optimized to perform a specific function. In the processing system, objects and threads are reconstructed from a single data stream described by intermediate code, and the reconstructed objects and threads are each executed concurrently on the most appropriate hardware processor. Then, the reconstructed objects and threads are organized.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-83312 discloses an apparatus for transparently converting a program call between different OS environments so that the OS can be used without modifying the source code. JP-A-10-833
The device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 12-205294 transparently converts a program call to a first device driver passing through a first interface in a first OS into a program call to a second device driver passing through a second interface in a second OS. A conversion interface. The conversion interface has the same call characteristics as the first interface.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a conventional terminal with a built-in function, a GUI (Graphical User Interface) is used.
When e) is used, the hardware resources used for the GUI are often more limited than for personal computers. For example, the number of keys of an input device, which is one of the hardware resources used for the GUI, is smaller in a terminal with a built-in function than in a personal computer. Further, for example, the screen size of the image output device, which is another hardware resource used for the GUI, is smaller in a terminal with a built-in function than in a personal computer.
For this reason, when a conventional system of a terminal with a built-in function is constructed so that a native execution environment and a virtual machine execution environment coexist on a single system, hardware resources used for the GUI are reduced to the native application. It is difficult to construct a system for the entire terminal in such a manner that the task and the task of the intermediate code application can be shared at the same time.

[0007] In a conventional terminal with a built-in function, when a system in which a virtual machine execution environment is added to a native execution environment is constructed, a problem is a GUI. Since the native GUI realizing means including the API used by the native application in the native execution environment is compact and specialized for the purpose of using the terminal with the built-in function, the virtual GUI which requires more general-purpose functions is required. In many cases, it does not match the GUI under the machine execution environment. For this purpose, the window system of the terminal with a built-in function newly adopts a GUI realizing unit having more functions than the GUI realizing unit in place of the native GUI realizing unit.
I. Such a modification of the system of the terminal with a built-in function greatly affects the entire system.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-69394 only discloses a technique for ensuring portability of applications between various platforms. JP-A-10-
83312 only discloses a technique for ensuring portability of applications between various OS environments. These two publications disclose that the execution environments differ from each other.
There is no disclosure of a configuration that uses two applications together and a configuration that allows two tasks to share a single hardware resource.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing apparatus in which tasks based on a plurality of applications having different execution environments can easily share hardware resources used for a GUI.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided information for sharing a user interface resource, which is a hardware resource used for a user interface, with a plurality of application software tasks having different execution environments. In the processing apparatus, the task management means includes a resource management means and a task management means which are independent from tasks, and a user interface realization means relating to the use of a user interface resource in an execution environment of each application software. , A right to use a user interface resource is assigned to any one of the tasks, and the resource management means causes data and event information to be transmitted and received only between the task for which the usage right is being granted and the user interface resource. Software tasks are:
An information processing apparatus characterized in that at the time of using a user interface resource, any one of a plurality of user interface realizing means according to an execution environment of the application software is used.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The right to use a user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as “UI”) resource is granted on a per-task basis, and only the task for which the right to use is granted is performed by using a UI realizing means corresponding to the application software including the task. , UI resources are available. As a result, in the information processing apparatus, two or more execution environments can coexist, and the occupation state of the UI resources of the execution environment is switched according to the grant of the right to use the task. Therefore, the information processing apparatus can appropriately use application software operating under two or more execution environments without a significant change in the system.

The present invention further includes a start instruction operating means operated for instructing an operation start of each application software, and a corresponding start instruction operation means of all the application software is operated. The operation of the application software is started,
The task management means assigns a use right to a task of the application software corresponding to the operation means when the operation means for start instruction is operated.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The right to use the UI resource is given to the task of the application software when the operation means for instructing the operation start of the application software is operated. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is switched at an appropriate timing, so that the information processing apparatus can smoothly execute the task of the application software.

Further, the present invention further includes an application designating means for designating application software to be operated.
The latest application software designated by the application designating means starts operating, and the task management means grants the use right to the task of the application software when the operation of the designated latest application software starts. It is characterized by the following.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The right to use is given to a task of the application software when the operation of the application software starts. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources in each execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the information processing apparatus can more smoothly operate the task of the application software.

Further, according to the present invention, the task management means uses, when the operation of the specified latest application software ends, a task to which a use right has been granted before the operation of the latest application software starts. It is characterized by transferring rights.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The usage right moved after the operation of the application software is returned to the task assigned before the movement at the end of the execution of the application software. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the information processing apparatus can operate the task of the application software more smoothly.

Further, according to the present invention, the task management means assigns a right to use a user interface resource to any one of the tasks of the application software, and periodically updates the application software including the task to which the usage right is assigned. It is characterized in that it is selectively switched.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The application software including the task to which the right to use is given is periodically switched. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources in each execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the information processing apparatus can more smoothly operate the task of the application software.

Further, according to the present invention, when a predetermined event that requires the use of a user interface resource occurs due to the operation of the application software, the task management means determines the task to be dealt with by the event. It is characterized by granting the right to use.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
When an event occurs due to the operation of the application software, a use right is assigned to a task that should deal with the event.
As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources in each execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the information processing apparatus can more smoothly operate the task of the application software.

Further, according to the present invention, the priority of granting the usage right is set in advance for each task, and the task management means (1) prioritizes the transfer of the usage right to the task to be dealt with in the event prior to the transfer of the usage right. And (2) if the priority of the task that should deal with the event is less than the priority of the task that is granting the usage right, The use right is continuously granted to the task.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The granting of the use right to a task to be targeted for an event caused by the operation of the application software is performed only when the priority of the task is equal to or higher than the priority of the task whose use right is being granted at the time of occurrence of the event. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is more appropriately switched, and thus the information processing apparatus can operate the task more smoothly.

Also, in the present invention, the task management means may add a task to be handled to the event to a waiting queue for exclusive release when the grant of the right to the task being granted is continued. And granting a use right to the tasks in the queue after the operation of the task being used is granted.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
After the operation of the task that is continuing to grant the usage right is completed, the tasks that should be targeted for the event where the grant of the usage right has been postponed based on the priority are:
The right to use is granted. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is more appropriately switched, and thus the information processing apparatus can operate the task more smoothly.

Further, the present invention further comprises external interrupt generating means for generating an external interrupt, wherein the application software starts operating in response to the generation of an external interrupt assigned to the application software in advance, When the application software starts operating in response to the occurrence of an external interrupt, the task management means assigns a use right to a task of the application software.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
A use right is given to a task of the application software that starts operating in response to an external interrupt. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources in each execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the information processing apparatus can smoothly execute the task of the application software.

Further, the present invention is designed so that any one of the application software calls another one of the application software in accordance with an operation, and the task management means calls the other application software. In this case, the use right is given to the task of the other application software.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
Tasks of other application software called by any application software
The right to use is granted. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources in the execution environment is more appropriately switched, so that the task of the application software can be operated more smoothly.

Further, according to the present invention, when the operation of any one of the application software is resumed after the operation of the other application software is completed, the task management means may execute the operation after the restart of the operation of any of the application software. The use right is returned to the task to which the use right was given before the operation of the other application software started.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
The usage right moved with the calling of the application software is returned to the task assigned before the movement when the operation of the called other application software ends. Thereby, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is more appropriately switched.

Further, the present invention provides a method as described above, wherein the calling of the other one application software from the one of the application software is a chain operation for completely transferring control to the called application software. The task management means includes the other one.
The right-to-use status is maintained even after the operation of one application software is completed.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
If the call between the two application softwares is a so-called chain operation, the usage right granted state after the transfer is retained even after the transfer of the usage right accompanying the call. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resources of each execution environment is more appropriately switched.

The present invention also provides an application programming interface in which one of the application software is composed of native code depending on a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture, and is dependent on a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture. Native application software designed to use a specific hardware configuration and a specific hardware configuration, wherein the other one of the application software comprises intermediate code independent of a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture. Intermediate code application software designed to use an architecture independent application programming interface, wherein the user interface One of the chair realizing means is a native user interface realizing means relating to use of a user interface resource in an execution environment of native application software, and the other one of the user interface realizing means is A virtual machine user interface implementing means for using a user interface resource in an execution environment of the intermediate code application software. The virtual machine user interface implementing means interprets and executes the intermediate code while converting the intermediate code into native code. An interpreter is included.

According to the present invention, the information processing apparatus includes a native UI realizing means and a virtual machine UI realizing means. As a result, the native execution environment, which is the execution environment of the native application software, and the virtual machine execution environment, which is the execution environment of the intermediate code application software, coexist, and the occupation state of the UI resources of these two execution environments is changed to the task. Are appropriately switched in accordance with the grant of the right to use. Therefore, the information processing apparatus is configured to execute the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment.
The occupation state of the I resource can be appropriately switched.

Further, according to the present invention, the task management means includes a task of native application software rather than a task of intermediate code application software.
It is characterized in that usage rights are given priority.

According to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus in which a native execution environment and a virtual machine execution environment coexist,
The right to use the UI resources is given to the task of the native application software in preference to the task of the intermediate code application software. This allows the information processing apparatus to preferentially occupy the UI resources in the native execution environment.

Further, in the invention, it is preferable that the task management means returns the usage right to the task of the native application software after a predetermined time elapses from the time of granting the usage right of the intermediate code application software to the task. And

According to the present invention, if the native execution environment is U
In the information processing apparatus configured to preferentially occupy the I resource, the usage right granted to the task of the intermediate code application software is returned to the task of the native application software a predetermined time after the grant. Thus, the information processing apparatus can switch the occupation state of the UI resource in each of the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment at more appropriate timing.

Further, according to the present invention, the priority of granting a usage right is set in advance for each of the tasks, and the task management means sets a predetermined time lapse from the time of granting the usage right to the task of the intermediate code application software. Later, the priority of the task of the native application software is compared with the priority of the task of the intermediate code application, and the priority of the task of the intermediate code application software is over the priority of the task of the task of the native software. If the degree is high, the grant of the right to use the task of the intermediate code application software is continued.

According to the present invention, if the native execution environment is U
In an information processing apparatus configured to preferentially occupy I resources, whether to return the usage right given to the task of the intermediate code application software to the task of the native application software depends on the task usage right grant priority. Is controlled. Thus, the information processing apparatus can switch the occupation state of the UI resources in each of the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment at more appropriate timing.

Further, according to the present invention, when the task requires the use of a user interface resource, the task requests the task management means to grant a usage right, and the task management means determines that the task has been granted a usage right from the task. Only when requested,
It is characterized in that a process related to granting a usage right to the task is performed.

According to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus,
In response to a request for granting a usage right from a task, processing related to granting a usage right is performed. As a result, even when it is time to grant a usage right to a task, the usage right is granted to the task only in a situation where the task requires the use of UI resources. It is further provided appropriately. Further, in order for the task itself to request the use right according to the situation, if the task is programmed with the situation in which the UI resource should be used, the task management means need not be improved. It is easy to set the situation where the UI resources should be used.

[Detailed Description of the Invention] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a physical configuration of an information processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus 1 in FIG. 1 and 2 will be described together.
The information processing device 1 includes a central processing unit 3 (CPU), a storage device 4, and a user interface resource 5 as hardware resources. Hereinafter, “user interface” is abbreviated as “UI”.

The storage device 4 includes a main storage device 6 and an auxiliary storage device 7. The storage device 4 stores software to be executed by the central processing unit. Specifically, the software may be stored in the main storage device 6 in advance,
The information may be stored in the auxiliary storage device 7 of the information processing device 1 in advance, and may be read from the auxiliary storage device 7 and stored in the main storage device 6 at the time when the software is to be executed. The software includes a control program and data used by the control program. When the central processing unit 3 executes a software control program, processing defined in the software is realized.

The main memory 6 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) which is a memory capable of writing and reading data.
Access Memory) and ROM, a non-volatile memory
(ReadOnly Memory). The main storage device 6
Instead of at least one of the ROM and the RAM, another semiconductor memory such as a flash memory or an EEPROM may be included. The auxiliary storage device 7 includes, for example, at least one of a removable storage medium drive device and a hard disk device.

The UI resource 5 includes a user interface (U
ser Interface (UI), in particular, a hardware resource (device) used for a graphical user interface (GUI). The UI resource 5 is realized by at least one of the input device 8 and the output device 9. In the present embodiment, both the input device 8 and the output device 9 are provided as the UI resources 5, and the image output device 10 and the sound output device 11 are provided as the output devices 9.

The input device 8 includes an operation unit 12 that can be operated by a user, and an input device driver 13 that controls the operation unit 12. The operation unit 12 is realized by, for example, a pointing device or a switch. The switch may be a key of a keyboard, or may be a switch incorporated in a housing of the information processing device 1. The pointing device is realized by, for example, a mouse or a tablet. Two operation units 12 of different types
If there are more than one, an input device driver is prepared for each operation unit 12.

The image output device 10 includes a display element 14 having a display screen, a drawing processing circuit 15 for controlling drawing of an image on the display screen, and a real frame memory 16 for storing image data to be displayed on the display screen. And Display element 14
Is realized by, for example, a cathode ray tube or a liquid crystal display element. The sound output device 11 includes a speaker 18 for converting an electric signal into sound and outputting the sound, and a sound processing circuit 17 for controlling sound output from the speaker. The drawing processing circuit 15 and the sound processing circuit 17 may be integrated.

The software 1 stored in the storage device 4
One is information processing software which is system software for executing information processing with a UI realizing function described later. At least two other pieces of software stored in the storage device 4 are application software (hereinafter, simply referred to as “application”) for causing a computer to perform predetermined adaptive business processing. The information processing software performs control for causing two or more tasks 20 to share the UI resource 5 for realizing the user interface. The task 20 is a process that is a unit of work that constitutes the adaptation work of the application. A process is a virtual entity that occurs with the virtualization of a computer and includes a virtual central processing unit that executes a program and a virtual storage device that stores the program. A process is the actual execution of a program. The virtual central processing unit is realized by multiplexing the real central processing units 3 in a time-division manner. The virtual storage device is realized by multiplexing the real storage devices 4.

In this embodiment, a native application and an intermediate code application are prepared as two types of applications whose execution environments are different from each other. The native application is composed of native code dependent on a specific platform, and an API (Appl.
ication Programming Interface). An intermediate code application is an application that consists of a platform-independent intermediate code and is designed to use an API for a platform-independent virtual machine. The specific platform is a concept including a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture. The specific hardware configuration is defined, for example, by a hardware configuration unique to the information processing device 1. The specific architecture is defined, for example, by a software configuration unique to the information processing device 1 as represented by an operation system (OS) unique to the information processing device 1. The native application is realized by, for example, an application described in the C language. The intermediate code application is realized by, for example, an application described in JAVA (registered trademark) language.

The information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 appropriately switches two or more tasks 20 using the single UI resource 5 among tasks 20 of a plurality of applications whose execution environments are different from each other. In an environment where execution environments coexist, the UI resource 5 is shared by two or more execution environments. A configuration for switching and sharing the UI resources 5 will be described below. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which a virtual machine execution environment that is an execution environment of an intermediate code application is added later based on a native execution environment that is an execution environment of a native application will be described as an example.

The functional configuration of the information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 is a virtual configuration when information processing software is executed in the information processing apparatus 1 having the physical configuration of FIG. In this specification, “system”
And "part" correspond to the above-described processes, respectively. The information processing device 1 has two or more tasks 2
0 and the UI resource 5 as well as two or more UIs for each execution environment.
It includes an implementation unit 21, a task management unit 22, and at least one resource management unit 23. In the following description, “Task 2
“0” means task 20N of the native application and task 2 of the intermediate code application unless otherwise specified.
It may be either 0V.

The UI implementation unit 21 for each execution environment relates to the use of the UI resource 5 under each execution environment. Each execution environment UI realizing unit 21 has an API and resources corresponding to each execution environment. In the present embodiment, specifically, as the UI realizing unit 21, the native UI realizing unit 2 related to the use of the UI resource 5 in the native execution environment is used.
1N and a virtual machine UI realizing unit 21V related to the use of the UI resource 5 in the virtual machine execution environment.

Resource management unit 23 and task management unit 22
Are independent of the task 20. The task management unit 22 assigns the right to use the UI resource 5 to any one of the tasks 20. The resource management unit 23 executes the task 20 and the UI
It controls information transmission to and from the resource 5. Resource Management Department 2
3 allows data and event information to be transmitted and received only between the task 20 to which the usage right is currently granted and the UI resource 5. The task 20 is in the process of granting the usage right and the UI resource 5
When using the task 2, the task 2
Any one of the UI implementing units 21 according to the execution environment of the application including “0” is used.

As described above, in the information processing apparatus 1, the right to use the UI resource 5 is granted in units of tasks 20, and only the task 20 to which the right to use is granted is assigned a UI corresponding to the application on which the task 20 is based. The UI resource 5 can be used by using the realizing unit 21. As a result, the task 20 using the UI resource 5 is appropriately switched and the
The UI realizing unit 21 used by the task 20 when using is different for each application on which the task 20 is based. As a result, in the information processing apparatus, coexistence with two or more execution environments becomes possible, and the occupation state of the UI resource 5 of each of these two execution environments is appropriately switched according to the grant of the use right to the task 20. Therefore, the information processing apparatus 1 can appropriately use an application operating under each execution environment.

In particular, in the present embodiment, not only the existing native UI realizing unit 21N but also the virtual machine UI realizing unit 21V is adopted, and the task 20N of the native application and the task 2N of the intermediate code application are used.
Since the voltage is 0 V, the usage right can be transferred. As a result, in the information processing device, the coexistence of the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment can be achieved without a significant change in the system software. Therefore, the applications operating under these two execution environments are appropriately used in combination. It becomes possible to do.

Further, in the information processing apparatus 1, the use right is granted in units of the tasks 20, and only the task 20 to which the use right is being granted uses the UI resource 5, so that the UI resource 5 is limited. Also, the information processing apparatus 1 has a single UI
Resources 5 can be easily shared by multiple tasks 20.

More specifically, when the entire information processing apparatus 1 starts up, all the applications provided in the information processing apparatus 1 are loaded on the memory. As a result, the task 20 of each application becomes
Waits in a state where the operation according to. In response to the occurrence of an event to be dealt with by the task 20 itself, the task 20 in the standby state starts operating. The task management unit 22 grants a usage right to a task 20 when a predetermined condition for granting a usage right to the task 20 is satisfied. The task 20 to which the usage right is being granted uses the UI resource 5 while using the UI implementing unit 21 according to the execution environment of the application including the task 20.

Preferably, with the operation of the task 20, the task 20 itself requests the task management unit 22 to grant the right to use the UI resource 5 to the task 20. The task management unit 22 performs a process related to the grant of the usage right to the task 20 only when the grant of the usage right is requested from the task 20.
Thus, if the situation or the like in which the UI resource 5 should be used is programmed in the task 20 itself, the task 20 itself determines the situation or the like and requests the use right to be granted. Situation setting becomes easy. More preferably, the usage right grant request from task 20 comprises:
This is performed only when the task 20 itself determines that the UI resource 5 needs to be used during the operation of the task 20. As a result, the use right is granted only to the task 20 under the situation that requires the use of the UI resource 5, so that the use right is more appropriately granted.

In the information processing apparatus 1, more preferably, the priority of granting the usage right is set in advance for each task 20. The priority of granting the right to use the task 20 is determined, for example, at the time of system startup, with the development of the application.
The task 20 is fixedly set and maintained. For example, the higher the priority and urgency of the process defined for the task 20, the higher the priority of granting the right to use the task 20. For example, the priority of the task 20 being executed is higher than the priority of the task 20 waiting. The priority of granting the usage right is expressed by a numerical value or a rank, and the level of the priority of two or more tasks 20 can be easily determined by numerical comparison. The priority of granting the right to use the task 20 is used for controlling the transfer of the priority between the two tasks 20.

The information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is also characterized by the start timing of the transfer of the usage right between the two tasks 20. The task management unit 22 performs a process related to the transfer of the usage right when a predetermined transfer condition for defining the start timing is satisfied. There are roughly six types of usage right transfer conditions.

The information processing apparatus 1 further includes a start instruction operation unit 12A for the first use condition of the usage right. The start instruction operation unit 12A is realized by a switch or the like individually associated with an application, and is operated by a user to instruct an operation start of the application. The input event information based on the operation result of the start instruction operation unit 12A is directly provided from the input device driver 13 to the task 20 of the application associated with the operation unit 12A, and responds to the arrival of the input event information. The operation of the application is started.

The first moving condition is the start instruction operation section 12A.
Is to be operated. When the operation unit for start instruction 12A is operated, the task management unit 22 grants a use right to the task 20 of the application corresponding to the operation unit 12A. Preferably, the right to use is given immediately after the operation of the start instruction operation unit 12A. Thereby, the usage right is moved in response to an instruction from the user of the information processing device 1.

For the second transfer condition of the usage right, the information processing apparatus 1 is configured to be able to designate an application to be operated from all the applications. For example, software for designating an application is prepared. The software causes the image output device 9 to display the titles and the like of all the applications in a menu format. Selected. In this case, the image output device 9, the input device 8, and the software for designating the application are:
An application specifying unit for specifying an application to be operated is configured. The operation of the latest application specified by the application specification unit starts from all the applications.

The second moving condition is the start of the operation of the latest application specified. Task management unit 22
Grants the right to use the task 20 of the specified application when the latest application starts operating. Preferably, the usage right is granted at the same time as or immediately after the start of the operation of the designated latest application. As a result, the usage right is moved in response to an instruction from the user of the information processing apparatus 1 and in synchronization with the start of the operation of the application.

When the use right is transferred based on the second transfer condition, preferably, after granting the use right to the task 20 of the latest application specified by the application specifying unit, the task management unit 22 executes the operation of the application. At the end, the usage right is returned to the task 20 to which the usage right has been granted before the operation of the application starts. As a result, after the operation of the application whose usage right has been moved based on the first movement condition is completed, the occupation state of the UI resource 5 returns to the state before the operation of the application started.

The third use right transfer condition is an elapsed time from the transfer of the use right. The task management unit 22 assigns the use right of the UI resource 5 to any one of the tasks 20 of all the applications, and periodically switches the task 20 to which the use right is assigned. Specifically, the task management unit 2
2 measures the elapsed time from the time of granting the usage right of any application to the task 20, and when the elapsed time reaches a predetermined reference time, the usage right is granted from the task 20 of any application. The right to use is transferred to the task 20 of another application that has not been used. Thereby, task 20 of each of two or more applications is performed.
, Periodically, alternately and equally every reference time,
The right to use is granted.

The fourth condition for moving the usage right is the occurrence of a predetermined event that is caused by the operation of the application and requires the use of the UI resource 5. When the predetermined event occurs during the operation of the application, the task management unit 22 assigns a use right to the task 20 that should deal with the event. Preferably, the usage right is granted simultaneously with or immediately after the occurrence of the predetermined event. For example, when a situation that requires user input using the UI resource 5 occurs with the operation of the application, it is necessary to execute one of the tasks 20 related to the user input among all the tasks 20 based on the application. A use right is assigned to any of the tasks 20. As a result, in response to the occurrence of an event caused by the operation inside the application, the use right is assigned to the task 20 that should deal with the event.

For the fifth use right transfer condition, the information processing apparatus 1 further includes an external interrupt generation unit for generating an external interrupt. When the information processing device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, the external interrupt generation unit is realized by, for example, sensors provided in various parts of the vehicle. When an external interrupt occurs, the application that is allocated to the external interrupt in advance among all the applications starts operating. For example, the information processing apparatus 1 uses a GPS (Grobal Pos
itioning System) If the system has a receiver, GP
If the reception of the electromagnetic wave is interrupted while the S receiver is receiving the electromagnetic wave from the GPS satellite, the GPS receiver generates an external interrupt, and notifies that the electromagnetic wave reception is interrupted in response to the external interrupt. Application to start working.

The fifth transfer condition is the occurrence of an external interrupt.
When the application starts operating in response to the occurrence of the external interrupt, the task management unit 22 grants the use right to the task 20 of the application. Preferably, the usage right is granted at the same time as or immediately after the operation of the application responding to the occurrence of the external interrupt. As a result, when an external interrupt occurs, the UI resource 5 is assigned to the task 20 of the application which is determined in advance to deal with the external interrupt.
The right to use moves.

The sixth transfer condition of the usage right is applied in a situation where any application is programmed to call another application in accordance with its own operation. For example, since the native application has a higher processing speed than the intermediate code application, the intermediate code application may call the native application in order to reduce the processing time. Also, for example, the native application may be configured to call an intermediate code application to facilitate adding another process to the process defined in the native application. For such a call between two applications having different execution environments, the information processing apparatus 1 is further provided with an API 51 for controlling the call between the two execution environments. When a call is made between applications, a call command is given from the call source application to the call destination application via the call control API. In response to a given call command, the called application starts running and the calling application pauses or ends running.

The sixth transfer condition is a call of the call destination application from the call source application.
When the called application is called, the task management unit 22 executes the task 20 of the called application.
Grant usage rights to Preferably, the usage right is granted simultaneously with or immediately after the calling of the called application. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resource 5 is switched at the call timing between the applications.

Preferably, in a situation where the calling application is programmed so that the operation of the calling application is resumed after the operation of the called application is completed, the task management unit 22 determines whether the operation of the calling application is to be resumed. When resumed, the usage right is returned to the task 20 to which the usage right has been granted before the operation of the calling application starts. As a result, the occupation state of the UI resource 5 returns to the state before the application is called after the operation of the calling application is resumed.

More preferably, when the calling application is programmed to perform a so-called chain operation, the task management unit 22 retains the usage right grant status even after the operation of the called application ends. The chain operation is an operation for completely transferring control from the called application to the called application. The chain operation is performed when the calling application only performs the calling of the called application. As a result, if the call of the callee application from the caller application is a chain operation,
UI after calling even after the operation of the called application ends
The occupation state of the resource 5 is maintained, and does not return to the state before calling the application.

When the usage right is moved at the start timing based on each of the first to sixth movement conditions, the task 20 using the UI resource 5 is more appropriately switched, so that the occupation of the UI resource 5 in each execution environment is achieved. The state is switched at an appropriate timing. Thereby, the information processing apparatus 1 can smoothly operate the task 20 of each application.

In a situation where the first to sixth moving conditions are used together, a priority is set for each moving condition, and when two or more moving conditions are simultaneously satisfied, the moving condition having the highest priority is determined. The usage right is moved based on the usage right. The priority of the moving condition may always be fixed, or may be set according to the application to be started in response to the moving condition being satisfied. It may be set according to the application in use. For example, when the first, third, and fifth movement conditions are used together, the first movement condition based on the operation on the start instruction operation unit 12A has a lower priority than the fifth movement condition based on the external interrupt, and The third moving condition based on the elapsed time has a lower priority than the first moving condition.

Whether or not to start use right transfer between the tasks 20 is preferably controlled according to not only the transfer condition but also the use right grant priority of the task 20. Specifically, when the transfer condition is satisfied, the task management unit 22 compares the priority of the switching source task 20A during the grant of the usage right with the priority of the switching destination task 20B to which the usage right is not granted. If the priority of the original task 20A is equal to or higher than the priority of the switching destination task 20B, the granting of the usage right to the switching destination task 20B is continued, and the transfer of the usage right is stopped or postponed. As a result, even if the transfer condition is satisfied, the switching is performed based on the processing state, importance, and urgency of the switching source task 20A that is currently granting the usage right and occupying the UI resource 5. If it is determined that the grant of the use right to the original task 20A is appropriate, the switching source task 20A continues to occupy the UI resource 5. For example, when the switching source task 20A uses the UI resource 5 for input for user approval, the transfer of the usage right to the switching destination task 20B is stopped or postponed.

Further, if the granting of the usage right to the switching source task 20A during the granting of the usage right is continued, the task management unit 22 adds the switching destination task 20B to which the usage right has not been granted to the queuing wait queue. And, after the operation of the switching source task 20A ends, the use right is given to the task 20 in the queue. As a result, even when the use right transfer to the switching destination task 20B is stopped in accordance with the use right grant priority,
Immediately after the operation of the switching source task 20A ends, the switching destination task 2
Since the OB can occupy the UI resource 5, the switching destination task 20B can use the UI resource 5.

As described above, when whether or not to start the transfer of the usage right between the tasks 20 is controlled based on the transfer condition and the priority of granting the usage right of the task 20, the occupation state of the UI resource 5 of each execution environment is controlled. Are switched more appropriately, so that the task 20 operates more smoothly. Such control of the start of transfer of the usage right according to the priority of grant of the usage right is suitably applied particularly to the transfer of the usage right in response to the occurrence of an event that requires the use of the UI resource 5 due to the operation of the application. You.

The system of the information processing apparatus 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a configuration in which a virtual machine execution environment is added based on an existing native execution environment. For this reason, preferably, the task management unit 22 The usage right is preferentially given to the task 20N of the native application rather than the task 20V of the intermediate code application. As a result, the information processing device 1 in which the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment coexist can preferentially occupy the UI resources 5 in the base native execution environment. In this case, the usage right is transferred from the task 20N of the native application to the task 20V of the intermediate code application in accordance with the first to sixth transfer conditions of the usage right and the preferred examples thereof.

Further, in the information processing apparatus 1 in which the native execution environment preferentially occupies the UI resource 5, it is more preferable that the native application task 20
When the usage right is transferred from N to the task 20V of the intermediate code application, the task management unit 22 automatically returns the usage right to the task 20N of the native application after a predetermined time elapses after the transfer of the usage right. Thereby, the information processing apparatus 1 can switch the occupation state of the UI resource 5 in the native execution environment and the occupation state of the UI resource 5 in the virtual machine execution environment at more appropriate timing.

In the information processing apparatus 1 in which the native execution environment preferentially occupies the UI resource 5, it is more preferable that the priority of granting the usage right is set for each task 20. The operation of returning the usage right is further controlled according to the grant priority. Specifically, the task management unit 22 converts the task 20N of the native application to the task 20V of the intermediate code application.
After the elapse of a predetermined time from the transfer of the usage right to the task 20, the priorities of the tasks 20N and 20V are compared. Task 20 of the intermediate code application that is being granted usage rights
V priority is task 2 of the native application
If the priority is higher than 0N, the task management unit 22 continues to grant the right to use the intermediate code application to the task 20V. As a result, even when a predetermined time has elapsed since the transfer of the right to use the task of the intermediate code application to the task 20V, the task status of the task 20V of the intermediate code application occupying the UI resource 5 is determined based on the processing state, importance, urgency, and the like. If it is determined that the grant of the usage right to the task 20 is appropriate, the usage right is not restored and the occupation of the UI resource 5 of the task 20 is continued. After the continuation of the grant of the usage right, the usage right is returned to the task 20N of the native application when, for example, the operation of the task 20V of the intermediate code application to which the grant has been continued ends. Or, for example, after the continuation of the grant of the usage right, if a predetermined moving condition such as an operation on the operation unit 12A for start instruction is satisfied, the task 20N of the native application
The usage right is returned to

When the usage right is returned from the task 20V of the intermediate code application to the task 20N of the native application in any of the above two procedures,
The occupation state of the UI resource 5 in the native execution environment and the occupation state of the UI resource 5 in the virtual machine execution environment are switched at more appropriate timing.

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram for explaining in detail the use right transfer procedure between the two tasks 20 described above. In FIG. 3, an example will be described in which the usage right is switched from the task 20A that is in the active state and the usage right is being granted to the task 20B that is in the inactive state and has not been granted the usage right. The task 20 in the active state is in a state where the UI resource 5 can be used, and the task 20 in the inactive state is
Is in a state where the UI resource 5 cannot be used.

The switching source task 20A to the switching destination task 20A
If the condition for transferring the right to use to B is satisfied, step S
At 0, the task management unit 22 instructs the switching destination task 20B to shift to the active state. The switching destination task 20B instructed to shift to the active state requests the task management unit 22 to grant the usage right to the switching destination task 20B in step S1. UI resource 5
When there are two or more, preferably, the switching destination task 20B
Selects at least one of all the UI resources 5 to be used, and requests only the right to use the selected UI resources 5.
In response to the usage right grant request, if the usage right requested by the switching destination task 20B has been granted to the switching source task 20A, the task management unit 22 responds to the switching source task 20A. Release is instructed to the switching-source task 20A during use right grant. Task management unit 2
In response to the release instruction from the switching resource 2, the switching source task 20A releases the resource related to the UI resource 5 corresponding to the use right requested to be granted in step S3. As a result, the usage right requested to be granted is changed to the switching source task 20A.
, And the switching source task 20A shifts to the inactive state for the UI resource 5 corresponding to the use right. In addition, in step S4, the switching source task 20A notifies the task management unit 22 of the transition to the inactive state and causes the task management unit 22 to confirm.

After confirming that the switching source task 20A has shifted to the inactive state, in step S5, the task management unit 22 gives the grant of the usage right requested to the switching destination task 20B to which the usage right has not been granted. To instruct. After the assignment instruction from the task management unit 22, the switching destination task 20B becomes able to use the resource related to the UI resource 5 corresponding to the usage right requested by the switching destination task 20B itself. In step S6, the switching destination task 20B acquires a resource related to the UI resource 5 corresponding to the use right requested to be granted, in order to enable an operation involving the use of the selected UI resource 5. As a result, the switching destination task 2
OB transitions to the active state. After the resource acquisition, if the operation involving the use of the selected UI resource 5 is enabled in the switching destination task 20B, the switching destination task 2B
OB notifies the task management unit 22 of the transition to the active state in step S7, and causes the task management unit 22 to confirm. After the use right is instructed to the switching destination task 20B, for example, in response to resource acquisition or in response to confirmation of transition to the active state, the switching destination task 20B
Granting of the right to use to B is instructed to the resource management unit 25. As a result, the usage right requested to be granted is granted to the switching destination task 20B.

By the above procedure, the switching source task 20A
Is transferred to the switching destination task 20B. Prior to the instruction to grant the use right to the switching destination task 20B, the release of the usage right is instructed to the switching source task 20A that is granting the usage right, and after confirming that the switching source task 20A shifts to the inactive state, the switching destination task 20A is switched to the inactive state. Since the assignment of the usage right to the task 20B has been instructed, the usage right is smoothly moved. If the execution environment of the application based on the switching source task 20A and the execution environment of the application based on the switching destination task 20B are different during the transfer of the usage right, the UI resource 5 corresponding to the usage right is occupied with the transfer of the usage right. The execution environment is switched. If the application based on the switching destination task 20B is already active at the time when the transfer condition is satisfied, step S0 of the use right transfer procedure is omitted, and the use right is moved based on steps S1 to S7. .

In the above-mentioned use right transfer procedure, for example, the task management unit 22 further measures the elapsed time from the time when the use right is instructed to the switching destination task 20B. If the switching destination task 20B acquires a resource while the elapsed time being counted is less than the predetermined reference time, the usage right transfer procedure is continued. If the elapsed time is equal to or longer than the predetermined reference time and the switching destination task 20B has not yet acquired the resource, the task management unit 22 times out. At the time of timeout, the usage right transfer procedure is terminated prematurely, or the usage right grant status is returned to the state before the start of the usage right transfer procedure. This avoids the effect of resource acquisition failure.

The switching destination task 20B determines whether or not the switching destination task 20B itself is capable of performing an operation involving the use of the UI resource 5 prior to resource acquisition after the instruction to grant the right to use. In such an operation check, it is necessary to read the storage contents of the storage unit such as a disk. Since it takes more time, the task management unit 22 times out prior to resource acquisition. In order to avoid a timeout, preferably, when the time from when the usage right is instructed to the switching task 20B itself to when the switching task 20B actually acquires the resource is expected to be equal to or longer than the reference time, the switching The task 20B notifies the transition to the active state prior to the acquisition of the resource after the use right assignment instruction, and acquires the resource after the notice of the transition. Switching destination task 2
OB requests the task management unit 22 to shift to the inactive state when it is found after the notification of the shift that the acquisition of the resource or the operation involving the use of the UI resource 5 is impossible, or the like. In response to the request to shift to the inactive state, the task management unit 22 shifts the switching destination task 20B to the inactive state in the same procedure as in steps S2 to S4. As a result, the switching of the usage right is appropriately controlled while avoiding the timeout.

FIG. 4 shows a case where the information processing apparatus 1 described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of transfer of a right to use an image output device that is one of the I resources.

The transfer of the right of use between the task 20 of the native application for displaying the image I1 related to the user input and the task 20V of the intermediate code application for displaying the image I2 related to the navigation function is performed by a start instruction operation. This operation is performed when the unit 12A is operated, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the transfer of the right to use the intermediate code application to the task 20V, or when an application-related event occurs. In addition, native application task 20N
In the situation where the usage right is preferentially given to the application, the usage right returns to the task 20N of the native application after a predetermined time from the transfer of the usage right to the intermediate code application at each of the above points.

The transfer of the usage right between the task 20N of the native application for displaying the image I1 related to the user input and the task 20V of the intermediate code application for displaying the image I3 related to the temporary news is performed when an event caused by the application occurs. Are performed with reference to the result of comparing the priorities of the two tasks 20. If the priority of the task 20V of the native code application is higher, the entitlement to the task 20 is continued and the task 20V of the intermediate code application is added to the queue, and the task 2V of the native code application is executed.
After the operation of 0V is completed, the right to use is given to the task 20V of the intermediate code application. When the usage right is preferentially given to the task 20N of the native application, the task 20V of the intermediate code application is given.
If the priority of the task 20 is higher, the task 20 can be executed after a predetermined time from the transfer of the usage right to the intermediate code application.
The right to use is continued, and the image I relating to extra news
3 is displayed continuously.

The task 20V of the intermediate code application for displaying the image I4 relating to the data reception is designed to request the use right grant when an event of external data reception occurs. In this case, at the time of data reception, the usage right moves from the task 20N of the native application for displaying the image I1 related to the user input to the task 20V of the intermediate code application. Alternatively, when an external interrupt occurs in response to receiving data from the outside, the usage is moved from the task 20N of the native application to the task 20V of the intermediate code application.

The native application for displaying the image I1 according to the user input is programmed to call the intermediate code application for displaying the image I5 according to the process responding to the result of the user input. The transfer of the usage right from the task 20N of the native application to the task 20V of the intermediate code application is performed when the former task 20 calls the latter task 20. If the operation of the task 20N of the native application is resumed after the operation of the task 20V of the intermediate code application is completed, the usage right is returned to the native application. If the native application is designed so that the above calls are chained, the intermediate code application continues to be granted usage rights.

When an application to be operated is specified by using the menu image I6 of the application, the right to use is given to the task 20 of the application when the operation of the specified application is started. As a result, by the task 20 of the specified application,
An image I7 related to the application is displayed.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4 again, a preferred configuration of the information processing apparatus 1 will be described below. In the present embodiment,
The native UI realizing unit 21N includes a native rendering system 31, a native audio system 32, and a virtual data memory 33. The native rendering system 31 and the native audio system 32 depend on the specific platform. Virtual machine UI realization unit 21V
Includes an intermediate code interpreter 35, a virtual machine drawing system 36, and a virtual machine acoustic system 37. The virtual machine drawing system 36 and the virtual machine sound system 37 do not depend on a specific platform.

In the native drawing system 31, the task 20N of the native application is executed by the image display device 1
If 0 is used, it is used by the task 20.
The native drawing system 31 is realized by, for example, an API and resources related to image processing. The native audio system 32 is used by the native application task 20N when the audio display device 11 is used by the task 20N. The native sound system 32 is realized by, for example, an API and resources related to sound processing. The native application task 20N does not necessarily need to use the native rendering system 31 and the native audio system 32.

The interpreter 35 interprets and executes the intermediate code relating to the task 20V of the intermediate code application while using the virtual machine drawing system 36 and the virtual machine sound system 37. When the task 20V of the intermediate code application uses the image display device 10, the virtual machine drawing system 36
0 and used by the interpreter 35. The virtual machine drawing system 36 is realized by, for example, an API and resources related to image processing. When the task 20V of the intermediate code application uses the sound display device 11, the virtual machine sound system 37 is used by the task 20 and the interpreter 35. The virtual machine sound system 37 is realized by, for example, an API and resources related to sound processing. The task 20V of the intermediate code application uses at least the interpreter 35.

The virtual data memory 33 is provided for each task 20N of the native application, and is provided corresponding to the virtual machine UI realizing unit 21V. The virtual data memory 33 stores data to be directly supplied from the task 20 to the output management unit 26, or a native drawing system 31, a virtual machine drawing system 36, a native sound system 32, or a virtual machine sound system 37 from the task 20. And temporarily stores the data provided to the output management unit 26. Each virtual data memory 33 stores the actual storage device 4
Are multiplexed. The virtual data memory 33 for storing the data to be imaged given from the task 20 to the drawing management unit 27 is a frame memory.

The resource management unit 23 equivalently has the function of a switch interposed between the UI resource 5 and each of the two or more tasks 20. The operation of the resource management unit 23 is performed by a switching switch interposed between the UI resource 5 and each of the two or more tasks 20, the U provided by the task management unit 22.
In response to the instruction to switch the right to use the I resource 5, one of the contacts connected to each of the two or more tasks 20 is selected, and only the selected contact is connected to the UI resource 5. This is equivalent to the operation of conducting to the contact point. For example, the resource management unit 23 is a condition of a WAIT command executed prior to the start of data transmission / reception in a processing routine related to data transmission / reception with the UI resource 5 in each task 20 and is a WA.
A waiting time, which is a time when the processing is stopped by the IT instruction, is set. Task 20 for which usage rights have not been granted
The wait time of the WAIT instruction is the time of task 2
It is much longer than the wait time of the WAIT instruction of 0.

The virtual machine UI realizing section 21V is preferably mounted on the information processing apparatus 1 so as to be positioned as one of the tasks 20N operating under the native execution environment. For this purpose, the task management unit 22 and the resource management unit 23 are designed to operate in a native execution environment, and the virtual machine UI realizing unit 21V and the UI resource 5
Is always performed via the resource management unit 23, and the grant of the right to use the UI resource 5 to the virtual machine UI realization unit 21V is performed by the task management unit 22 by the task 20N of the native application. Is managed in the same way as As a result, of the native application task 20N and the virtual machine UI realizing unit 21V, the UI
Any one to which the right to use resource 5 has been granted is
Uses resource 5. As a result, the information processing apparatus 1 can be used without significantly affecting the native execution environment.
The virtual machine execution environment can be added to the execution environment of the application in. This allows the information processing apparatus 1 to easily share the single UI resource 5 among the tasks 20 of many applications regardless of the configuration of the application even when the UI resource 5 is limited. Will be possible. When the task management unit 22 and the resource management unit 23 are designed to operate in a native execution environment, preferably, the native UI realization unit 2 is used.
1N, the task management unit 22 and the resource management unit 23 constitute a window system that operates in a native execution environment. The virtual machine UI realizing unit 20V is also preferably realized by a window system operating in a virtual machine execution environment.

When there are two or more UI resources 5, a resource management unit 23 is prepared for each UI resource 5. The task management unit 22 sets a usage right for each UI resource 5 and
Can be individually assigned to the task 20. In the present embodiment, as the resource management unit 23, an input management unit 25 for managing the use of the input device 8 and an output management unit 26 for managing the use of the output device 9 are separately prepared. In addition, as the output management unit 26, a drawing management unit 27 that manages use of the image output device 10 and an audio management unit 28 that manages use of the audio output device 11 are separately prepared.

When the input device 8 and the image output device 10 are provided as the UI resources 5 and two of the resource management units 23 are the input management unit 25 and the drawing management unit 27, the task management unit 22 is preferably Assigns, to the single task 20, the input use right that is the use right of the input device 8 and the drawing right that is the use right of the image output device 10 at the same time. The task 20 to which both the input use right and the drawing right are given can use the input device 8 and the image output device 10 at the same time, so that a GUI can be realized. In addition, when an output usage right, which is a usage right of the output device 9 such as a usage right of an audio output device as well as a drawing right, is given to the single task 20 at the same time as the input usage right, the multimedia -An interface is realized.

The configuration relating to the input device 8 in the information processing device 1 is as follows. The task management unit 22 assigns the input usage right, which is the usage right of the input device, to only one of the tasks 20. An operation on the operation unit 12 of the input device 8 is regarded as an event. Input device 8
The input device driver 13 of the input device 8 generates input event information, which is information of an event caused by the input device, according to the usage status of the operation unit 12 of the input device 12, and provides the input event information to the input management unit 25. The input management unit 25 determines the task 20 to which the input use right is granted when the input event information is generated, and notifies the determined task 20 of the input event information.
As described above, since the input use right is granted on a task 20 basis, when viewed from each task 20, it is possible to continue to receive the input event information generated while the input use right is held. This allows a single input device 8 to be connected to two
Switching and sharing can be performed by the task 20 described above.

The configuration relating to the output device 9 in the information processing device 1 is as follows. The task management unit 22 assigns an output usage right, which is a usage right of the output device 9, to only one of the tasks 20. Each task 20 generates data to be output regarding the operation of the task 20 and stores the data in the virtual data memory 33 during the operation of the task 20 irrespective of the usage right grant status. The output management unit 26 provides the output device 9 with only data to be output regarding the task 20 to which the output use right is being granted. The output device 9 outputs the content of the given data. Since the output use right is granted in units of the tasks 20 in this way, only the task 20 to which the output use right is being granted can output from the output device 9 the content to be output. This allows a single output device 9 to be switched and shared by two or more tasks 20.

The information processing apparatus 1 is realized by a computer in which information processing software for executing information processing relating to a user interface and application software are installed. Such information processing software includes a program for causing the central processing unit 3 to execute the above-described processing and processing data. The above-described information processing software may be stored in a storage medium, read from the storage medium by a medium reading unit of the computer and stored in the storage unit of the computer, and provided to the computer by communication via a transmission medium. And stored in the storage unit. As a storage medium, a magnetic storage medium represented by a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a CD-ROM (Compac
t Disc-Read Only Memory) and DVD (Digital Vid)
eo Disc) and MO (Magne
to-Optic Disc). Transmission media include transmission lines of telephone networks, LANs
(Local Area Network) and WAN (Wide Area Network)
ork) transmission path of a computer network using
And a transmission cable for connecting a computer. The computer operates as the information processing device 14 by the central processing unit 3 executing the program in the information processing software stored in the storage device 4. As described above, the information processing apparatus 1 of the present invention can be realized using a general-purpose computer having the UI resources 5.

[0108] The information processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is an exemplification of the information processing apparatus 1 of the present invention, and can be realized in other various forms as long as the main configurations are the same. In particular, the detailed configuration and operation of each component of the information processing apparatus 1 are not limited to the above-described configuration and operation, and may be realized by another configuration and operation as long as the same effect is obtained. The information processing apparatus 1 includes at least one UI resource 5, a resource management unit 23 that manages the right to use the UI resource 5, a task management unit 22, and a UI resource 5 used in two or more execution environments. What is necessary is just to provide such UI realization part 21 to the minimum. In the information processing apparatus 1 having the configuration of FIG. 2, one of the input device 8, the image output device 10, and the sound output device 11 and the resource management unit 22 of the usage right corresponding to the one device may be omitted. . The information processing apparatus 1 is not only realized by a computer or a terminal in which information processing software is installed, but also an apparatus having a configuration for executing the information processing described in this specification. For example, a configuration in which various processes are realized as physical circuits may be employed. The task management unit 22
May directly instruct the resource management unit 23 to grant the usage right to the task 20 without waiting for the usage right grant request from the task 20.

[0109]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus, the right to use the UI resource is granted in units of tasks, and only the task for which the right to use is being granted depends on the application including the task. UI using the
Resources are available. Therefore, the information processing apparatus can appropriately use the applications operating under two or more execution environments without a significant change in the system.

Further, according to the present invention, when operating the operation means for instructing the start of the operation of the application, the use right is given to the task of the application. Further, according to the present invention, when the operation of the application is started, the use right is given to the task of the application. Furthermore, according to the present invention, the usage right moved with the start of execution of the application is returned to the task assigned before the movement at the end of the execution of the application. According to the present invention, an application including a task to which a use right is assigned is periodically switched. With these, the information processing apparatus can operate the task of the application more smoothly.

Further, according to the present invention, in an information processing apparatus, when an event occurs due to an operation of an application, a use right is assigned to a task that should deal with the event.
Further, according to the present invention, when an event caused by an operation of an application occurs, if the priority of a task to deal with the event is lower than the priority of the task to which the usage right is being granted, the task to which the usage right is being granted is assigned to the task. The right to use is continued. Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the granting of the right to use is continued to the task that is granting the right upon occurrence of an event caused by the operation of the application, the task to cope with the event is placed in a queue for waiting for exclusive release. In addition, the use right is granted to the task in the queue after the processing of the task whose use right is being granted is completed.
Further, according to the present invention, a use right is given to a task of an application that starts operating in response to an external interrupt.
With these, the information processing apparatus can smoothly operate the task of the application.

Further, according to the present invention, when any application calls another application, the right to use is given to the task of the other application. Further, according to the present invention, in the information processing apparatus, the usage right moved in response to the call of the application is returned to the task assigned before the movement when the execution of the called application ends. Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the calling of one of the applications to another application is a chain operation, the usage right granted state is maintained even after the usage right is moved in accordance with the calling of the application. With these, the information processing device
Application tasks can run more smoothly.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, when a native application and an intermediate code application are provided in an information processing apparatus, a native UI realizing means and a virtual machine UI realizing means are further provided. Therefore, the information processing apparatus can appropriately switch the occupation state of the UI resources in the native execution environment and the virtual machine execution environment. Further, according to the present invention, the usage right is given priority to the task of the native application rather than the task of the intermediate code application. As a result, the UI resources are preferentially occupied by the native execution environment.

Further, according to the present invention, the usage right granted to the task of the intermediate code application is returned to the task of the native application after a predetermined time from the grant. Further, according to the present invention, when the priority of the task of the intermediate code application is higher than the priority of the task of the native application, the intermediate code can be maintained even after a lapse of a predetermined time from the transfer of the right to use the task of the intermediate code application. Continue entitlement of the application to tasks. With these, the UI in the native execution environment and the UI in the virtual machine execution environment are respectively displayed.
The resource occupation state is switched at a more appropriate timing.

Further, according to the present invention, in response to a request for granting a usage right from a task, a process related to granting a usage right is performed. This gives more appropriate use rights.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a physical configuration of an information processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of the information processing apparatus 1 of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows two tasks 2 in the information processing apparatus 1 of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram for explaining a use right transfer procedure between 0A and 20B.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a change in display content of the image output device according to switching of the right to use the image output device in the information processing apparatus having a configuration in which a virtual machine execution environment is added to a native execution environment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Information processing device 5 UI resource 8 Input device 9 Output device 10 Image output device 11 Sound output device 20 Task 20 21 UI realization part 22 Task management part 23 Resource management part

Claims (17)

[Claims] An information processing apparatus for sharing a user interface resource, which is a hardware resource used for a user interface, with a plurality of application software tasks whose execution environments are different from each other. Resource management means and task management means, and user interface realization means relating to the use of user interface resources in the execution environment of each application software. The right to use the user interface resource is granted. The resource management means transmits and receives data and event information only between the task for which the right to use is granted and the user interface resource. When using face resources, The information processing apparatus which comprises using any one according to the application software execution environment of the user interface means for implementing. 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a start instruction operating means operated to instruct an operation start of each application software, wherein an application of which the corresponding start instruction operation means is operated among all the application software. 2. The operation of software is started, and the task management means grants a use right to a task of the application software corresponding to the operation means when the operation means for starting instruction is operated. An information processing apparatus according to claim 1. 3. An application designating means for designating application software to be operated, wherein the latest application software designated by the application designating means among all the application software starts operating, and said task management means 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the operation of the designated latest application software is started, a right to use is given to a task of the application software. 4. The task management means transfers the usage right to the task to which the usage right has been granted before the operation of the latest application software, when the operation of the latest application software specified ends. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein 5. The task management means assigns a right to use a user interface resource to any one of the tasks of the application software, and periodically switches the application software including the task to which the usage right is assigned. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 6. When a predetermined event that requires the use of a user interface resource occurs due to an operation of the application software, the task management means assigns a use right to a task that should deal with the event. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is provided. 7. The priority of use right assignment is set in advance for each of the tasks, and the task management means includes: (1) Prior to transfer of the use right, priority and use of a task to be handled for the event (2) If the priority of the task that should deal with the event is lower than the priority of the task that is granting the usage right, 7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the right to use is continued. 8. The task management means, when the right to use is granted to the task for which the right to use is continued, adds a task to be handled to the event to a queue for waiting for exclusive release, and 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the right to use is given to the task in the queue after the operation of the task with the right granted ends. 9. An external interrupt generating means for generating an external interrupt, wherein the application software starts operating in response to the generation of an external interrupt previously allocated to the application software, 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the application software starts operating in response to the occurrence of an external interrupt, the means grants a use right to a task of the application software. Information processing device. 10. The task management means according to claim 1, wherein said one of the application software is designed to call another of said application software in accordance with an operation. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein a right to use is given to the task of the other application software. 11. When the operation of any one of the application software is resumed after the operation of the other application software is completed, the task management unit may execute the operation of the other application software after the restart of the operation of the one of the application software. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the use right is returned to the task to which the use right was given before the operation of the application software started. 12. The task management means, wherein the call of the other one application software from the one of the application software is a chain operation for completely transferring control to the call destination application software. 11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the application right retains the usage right grant status even after the operation of the other one of the application software is completed. 13. One of said application software consists of native code depending on a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture, and uses an application programming interface which depends on a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture. Native application software designed such that another one of the application software consists of intermediate code that is independent of a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture, and is dependent on a specific hardware configuration and a specific architecture. Intermediate code application software designed to use an application programming interface that does not implement the user interface One of the stages is a native user interface realizing means for use of a user interface resource in an execution environment of native application software, and the other one of the user interface realizing means is an intermediate code. A virtual machine user interface realizing means for using a user interface resource in an execution environment of application software, wherein the virtual machine user interface realizing means interprets and executes an intermediate code while converting the intermediate code into a native code. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: 14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said task management means assigns a usage right to a task of native application software over a task of intermediate code application software. 15. The system according to claim 1, wherein the task management means returns the usage right to the task of the native application software after a lapse of a predetermined time from the grant of the usage right to the task of the intermediate code application software. Item 15. The information processing device according to Item 14. 16. A priority of grant of usage right is set in advance for each of said tasks, and said task management means, after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time of granting the usage right of said intermediate code application software to a task, Compare the task priority of the native application software with the task priority of the intermediate code application, and the priority of the task of the intermediate code application software is higher than the task priority of the task of the native software. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the right to use the intermediate code application software is granted to the task.
4. The information processing device according to 4. 17. When the task requires the use of a user interface resource, the task requests the task management unit to grant the right to use, and the task management unit requests the task management unit to grant the right to use. 17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a process related to granting a usage right to the task is performed only in the case.