JPH01214960A - System for exchanging message between multi-processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize flexible and expandable message exchange by using a mail box in a single processor by using one or more processors as master processors and the remaining processors as slave processors and providing the mail box, etc., in the master processor. CONSTITUTION:One or more processors among plural processors 30 and 40 are used as master processors 30 and the remaining processors are used as slave processors 40 and a mail box 32 and a mail box directory 33 for managing mail box numbers and names are provided in the master processors 30. When the transmission task 41 of a specific slave processor 40 transmits a message, the master processor 30 registers the mail box name in the mail box directory 33 and gives the mail box number to the task 41 and the task 41 uses the number for message transmission thereafter. Therefore, flexible and expandable message exchange can be realized by using simple software while the function of conventional mail box in a single processor is utilized.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a message exchange method between tasks existing in each processor, and in particular, a method for exchanging messages between tasks existing in each processor. This invention relates to a message exchange method between multiprocessors for exchanging messages.

(Prior Art) In an operating system, a plurality of tasks execute desired functions while exchanging information with each other.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, messages are exchanged between tasks within the single processor 1 by the message sending task group
In many cases, the message receiving task group 3 and the message receiving task group 3 communicate using the mailbox 4. This mailbox 4 has a message queue 5 and a reception waiting queue 6 from the viewpoint of safely linking messages between the sending task group 2 and the receiving task group 3. 7 indicates a transmission path, and 8 indicates a reception path.

By the way, the above message exchange between tasks is described in a multi-task environment within a single processor, but in a multi-processor environment, messages may be exchanged between tasks across a plurality of processors.

Conventionally, in order to exchange messages between tasks existing in different processors, a shared memory 13 is connected to a system bus 10 in addition to a message sending processor 11 and a message receiving processor 12, as shown in FIG. After the processor on the sending side, for example task 11, writes a message on the shared memory 13 according to the arrow shown in the figure (a), the processor on the message receiving side 12
A signal (for example, an interrupt signal) notifying the transmission of a message is transmitted as shown by the arrow (b) in the figure. Here, when the receiving processor 12 detects the arrival of a message, it reads the message from the shared memory 13 as shown by the arrow (c) and passes it to the receiving task queue.

(Problem to be solved by the invention!i) Therefore, in the above message exchange system,
Each processor 1 reads and writes data to the shared memory 13 using read and write addresses.
1.12 and shared memory 13 have an essential relationship,
The independence of each processor 11, 12 is accordingly lost.

Furthermore, regarding access to the shared memory 13, it is necessary to perform exclusive control so that other processors cannot read it, for example, while a message is being written, which requires an interlock means and increases the burden on the software. Furthermore, since this is a completely different method from the conventional method of exchanging messages using a mailbox within a single processor, there is also the problem of increasing the complexity of the software.

The present invention was made in order to eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and utilizes the conventional mailbox function in a single processor in a multiprocessor environment where messages are exchanged between tasks existing in different processors. The purpose of this invention is to provide a message exchange method between multiprocessors that realizes flexible and highly expandable message exchange using simple software.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means and Effects for Solving the Problems) A message exchange method among multiprocessors according to the present invention has at least one processor among a plurality of processors as a master processor, and the remaining processors as master processors. A slave processor is provided, and the main processor is provided with a mailbox and a mailbox directory for managing mailbox numbers and mailbox names, and when a transmission task of a specific processor sends a message,
Sending a mailbox generation request message including a mailbox name from the sending task of the specific processor;
The main processor allocates the mailbox generation request message to the mailbox, registers a mailbox name in the mailbox directory, and transmits a mailbox number from the mailbox name, and the specific processor Pass the box number to the send task. The sending task then uses the mailbox number to send messages.

Another invention is a message exchange method between multiple processors, in which at least one of the multiple processors
The main processor is provided with a mailbox and a mailbox directory for managing mailbox numbers and mailbox names, and the main processor is provided with a mailbox and a mailbox directory for managing mailbox numbers and mailbox names. When the receiving task wants to receive a message, the receiving task of the specific processor sends a mailbox reference request message with a known mailbox name as a parameter, and when the main processor receives the mailbox reference request message, it sends a mailbox reference request message to the mailbox directory. The mailbox number corresponding to the mailbox name is determined and transmitted while referring to the mailbox name, and the reception task of the specific processor uses the mailbox number to issue a message reception request.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration example of a multiprocessor system to which the method of the present invention is applied, in which at least one mask processor 30 and a plurality of other slave processors 40 . ...is provided. This mask processor 30 is a processor that has the function of managing its own system-wide mailbox, and therefore, a processor without a mailbox is defined as a slave processor 40. In the figure.

31.41 is a task.

Next, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the mask processor 30. That is, this mask processor 30
In addition to one or more tasks (not shown), a system mailbox 32, a system central mailbox directory 33 that manages system-wide mailbox numbers (e.g., box serial numbers) and mailbox name IDs; Functions such as a mailbox management module 34 for managing mailboxes and a message communication module 35 for communicating messages between the processors 30 and 40 are provided. The system mailbox 32 is composed of a message queue 36, a reception waiting task skin 37, and mailbox management information. The message queue 36 queues arrived messages, while the reception queue 37 queues tasks waiting to receive messages. By the way,
The table in the mask processor 30 is configured as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

On the other hand, the slave processor 40, as shown in FIG. 4, has a task group 41.41 that communicates messages with other intra-processor tasks 31.41. . . ., a local reception waiting screen 42 for queuing messages waiting tasks in the processors, a mailbox management module 43 for managing the system mailbox 32, and a message communication module 44 for communicating messages between processors. The following functions are provided.

Next, the fifth section will discuss the operation of the message exchange method between processors in the multiprocessor system as described above.
This will be explained with reference to FIGS. 8 through 8. First, each processor 30, 40 . ... are each assigned a specific processor number,
It is assumed that all of the processors know the multiprocessor 30 and their own processor numbers.

(1) A case in which a task 41 in a processor 40 sends a message to another processor, for example, a task 31 in the processor 30 (FIGS. 5, 7, and 8).

First, when the sending task 41 that is to send a message sends a mailbox generation request code (Sl, S2),
The mailbox management module 43 determines from the request code that it is a mailbox generation request and creates a mailbox generation request message (S31.5).
41), sends a mailbox generation request message including the mailbox name ID to the message communication module 44; This message communication module 44 adds its own processor number and mask processor number to the mailbox name ID, message, etc., and transmits it to the mask processor 30 via the system bus 20 as shown in FIG. 5A (S6). At this time, the sending task 41 is connected to the local receiving task queue 42 and placed in a suspended state waiting for reception (35.37).

Master Pro Delusa 30's Message Communication Module 3
When TI, T2. T
3t), system mailbox 32 shown in FIG.
(741), and assign the mailbox name ID to the table in the memory of the mailbox directory 33.
Register above (T51). Thereafter, the mailbox management module 34 sets a mailbox number corresponding to the mailbox name for identifying the mailbox in the response message, and sends it back to the slave processor 4o that made the mailbox generation request through the message communication module 35 ( A2, T61, T7
).

Here, when the message communication module 44 of the slave processor 40 receives a response message, etc., upon activation from the message communication module 44, the memory box management module 43 searches for the requesting task 41 from the reception waiting task queue 42, and sends a mail to the task 41. Pass the box number (811-813). Therefore, this task 41 thereafter specifies the mailbox number, transmits a necessary message to the system mailbox 32, and receives a completion signal from the mask processor 3o based on the message.

Next, when the sending task 41 requests the system mailbox 32 to send a message, it sends a message sending request code to the mailbox management module 34 . Here, the mailbox management module 34 is S3
4. The mailbox number and message transmission request message are created as in S44, and transmitted to the master processor 30 via the message communication module 44 as shown in FIG. The task is connected to the local receiving task queue 42 to receive a response (S5).

On the other hand, the mailbox management module 34 of the master processor 30 refers to the directory 33 based on the message code received from the slave processor 40,
The corresponding system mailbox 32 is determined (7
44). In this case, if the system mailbox 32
If a task exists in the task queue 37 waiting for reception, the message is sent to the processor 40 where the task exists (T54), and the corresponding task is removed from the task queue 37 waiting for reception, and the message is sent to the processor 40 where the task exists.
Send a message of completion to (A4 * T54
', T64). On the other hand, system mailbox 3
If there is no incoming task queue on 2, the message is sent to message queue 3 on system mailbox 32.
6, and sends a transmission completion message to the processor 4o of the corresponding transmission task 41 (ST54,
T64).

Here, the mailbox management module 43 of the sending task 41 receives the transmission completion message and restarts the operation of the sending task on the local reception waiting task queue 42.

Next, the system mailbox 32 is deleted by specifying the mailbox number from the slave processor 4o. That is, for the deletion request, the mailbox management module 43 of the slave processor 40 creates a mailbox deletion request message and transmits it to the master processor 3o via the message communication module 44 (A5). Here, if the system mailbox 32 with the specified mailbox number can be deleted, the mailbox management module 34 of the master processor 3o releases the mailbox memory and deletes the mailbox registration from the directory 33. do. When the memory box is deleted, a deletion completion signal is sent from the master processor 30 to the slave processor 3 that requested the deletion.
0 (A6).

(2) When a task 41 in a certain processor 40 wants to receive a message (FIGS. 6 to 8).

The receiving task 41 that should receive the message sends a mailbox directory reference request code. here,
The mailbox management module 43 creates a mailbox reference request message using the known mailbox name ID as a parameter, and sends it to the master processor 30 via the message communication module 44 and the system bus 20 as shown in FIG. 6B. B2. S33゜S
43. B6), the receiving task 41 is connected to the local receiving task queue 42 and set to a suspended state (B5.S7).

Here, when the mailbox management module 34 of the master processor 30 determines that the mailbox directory is to be referenced based on the mailbox reference request code (TI, T2.T33), it refers to the memory mailbox directory 33 and identifies the mailbox name ID. Find the mailbox number of the system mailbox 32 that matches the message, set this mailbox number in the response message, and send it to the processor 4 where the receiving task 41 exists as a reference result (B2) via the message communication module 35.
0 (T43, T53, T7).

The mailbox management module 43 of this slave processor 40 removes the receiving task 41 from the local receiving task queue 42, passes the mailbox number to the receiving task 41, and restarts the operation. This receiving task 4
1 then specifies the mailbox number and requests the master processor 40 to receive a message. That is, when the receiving processor 40 receives a message, it specifies the memory box number and issues a message reception request to the mailbox management module 43 of its own processor 40 (B3). At this time, the reception task 41 is added to the local reception waiting task queue 42 and suspended in a reception waiting state.

When the master processor 30 receives a message reception request from the receiving processor 40, the mailbox management module 34 finds the specified mailbox from the mailbox directory 33, and stores the message in the message queue 3.
Check whether a message is attached to 6. If a message exists, the message is removed from the message queue 36, and the message (B4) is sent to the processor 40 where the receiving task 41 exists. If the message does not exist in the message queue 36, a request is placed in the reception waiting task queue 37 and the message arrives. When a message arrives from a sending task of another processor, the request is removed from the receiving task queue 37,
Send the message to the receiving processor 40. When a message is sent to the memory box management module 43 of the receiving processor 40, the memory box management module 43 searches the local receiving task queue 42, passes the message to the corresponding receiving task 41, and restarts the operation of the receiving task 41.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the embodiment as described above, tasks 31 . .
2, the mailbox number is obtained from the mailbox name, etc., and sent back to the requesting slave processor 40, so the requesting task of the processor can exchange messages using the mailbox number. This makes it possible to exchange messages by making use of the conventional idea of exchanging messages using a mailbox within a single processor, thereby making it possible to establish standard message exchange software. Moreover, a flexible and highly expandable multiprocessor system can be easily constructed without depending on hardware.

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to claim 1.2 of the present invention, various functions necessary for exchanging messages can be achieved using simple software while taking advantage of the conventional mailbox function in a single processor. It is possible to provide a message exchange method between multiprocessors that can perform the functions appropriately and realize message exchange with high flexibility and expandability.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 8 are shown to explain an embodiment of the message exchange method between multiprocessors according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of the multiprocessor system, and FIG. Figure 1 shows the functional configuration of the master processor, Figure 3 shows the table configuration in the master processor, Figure 4 shows the functional configuration of the slave processor shown in Figure 1, and Figures 5 and 6 show the message exchange. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of operation on the slave processor side, FIG. 8 is a flowchart of operation on the master processor side, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are diagrams each explaining a conventional message exchange method between tasks. 20... System bus, 30... Master processor, 31... Task, 32... System mailbox, 34... Mailbox management module, module, 3
6...Message queue, 37...Reception waiting task queue, 40...Slave processor, 41...Task, 42...Reception waiting task queue, 43...Mailbox management module. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 9 Figure 10

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a multiprocessor message exchange method in which messages are exchanged between tasks of a plurality of processors, at least one processor among the plurality of processors is designated as a master processor, and the remaining processors are designated as slave processors. , the main processor is provided with a mailbox and a mailbox directory that manages mailbox numbers and mailbox names, and when a specific processor sends a message, a mail including a mailbox name is sent from the specific processor. transmitting a box generation request message, the main processor assigns the mailbox generation request message to the mailbox, and registers a mailbox name in the mailbox directory, and
A message exchange method between multiprocessors, characterized in that a mailbox number is determined from the mailbox name and transmitted, and the specific processor transmits a message using the mailbox number. (2) In a multiprocessor message exchange method in which messages are exchanged between tasks of a plurality of processors, at least one processor among the plurality of processors is designated as a master processor, and the remaining processors are designated as slave processors. , the main processor is provided with a mailbox and a mailbox directory that manages mailbox numbers and mailbox names, and when a specific processor wants to receive a message, it receives a known mailbox name from the specific processor. A mailbox reference request message is sent as a parameter, and when the main processor receives the mailbox reference request message, it refers to the mailbox directory, obtains and sends a mailbox number corresponding to the mailbox name, and sends the mailbox number corresponding to the mailbox name to the specific processor. is a message exchange method between multiprocessors, characterized in that a message reception request is made using the mailbox number.