Programmatic implicit multithreading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10915355-B2
Application number	US-201916378928-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2019
Priority date	Feb 28, 2017
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for programmatic implicit multithreading. A first operation is executed on a first thread in a processor, where the first operation is from a set of operations within a block of code of an application that are distinct and process unrelated data. A determination is made as to whether a time limit associated with executing the first operation has been exceeded. Responsive to the time limit being exceeded, a determination is made as to whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations. Responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, a new thread is spawned off on the processor to execute a next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, in a data processing system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, for programmatic implicit multithreading, the method comprising:
executing a first operation on a first thread in the processor, wherein the first operation is from a set of operations within a block of code of an application that are distinct and process unrelated data;
determining whether a time limit associated with executing the first operation has been exceeded;
responsive to the time limit being exceeded, determining whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, spawning off a new thread on the processor to execute a next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to the time limit failing to be exceeded, determining whether the first operation has completed;
responsive to the first operation completing before the time limit is exceeded, determining whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, executing the next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
for each unexecuted operation in the one or more unexecuted operations spawned off to a new associated thread due to a previous operation exceeding the time limit;
executing the unexecuted operation on the new associated thread in the processor thereby forming a executing operation;
determining whether a time limit associated with the executing operation has been exceeded;
responsive to the time limit being exceeded, determining whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, spawning off an associated thread on the processor to execute the next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to all operations in the set of operations completing execution, rejoining a parent thread of the application.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of operations within the block of code of the application that are distinct and process unrelated data are identified within the block of code.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time limit is a default time limit that triggers parallelization of operations within the block of code of the application that are distinct and process unrelated data when the default time limit has been exceeded and wherein the default time limit is used when a predetermined time limit fails to be identified within the block of code of the application.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored therein, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to:
execute a first operation on a first thread in a processor, wherein the first operation is from a set of operations within a block of code of an application that are distinct and process unrelated data;
determine whether a time limit associated with executing the first operation has been exceeded;
responsive to the time limit being exceeded, determine whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, spawn off a new thread on the processor to execute a next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:
responsive to the time limit failing to be exceeded, determine whether the first operation has completed;
responsive to the first operation completing before the time limit is exceeded, determine whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, execute the next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:
for each unexecuted operation in the one or more unexecuted operations spawned off to a new associated thread due to a previous operation exceeding the time limit;
execute the unexecuted operation on the new associated thread in the processor thereby forming a executing operation;
determine whether a time limit associated with the executing operation has been exceeded;
responsive to the time limit being exceeded, determine whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, spawn off an associated thread on the processor to execute the next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computing device to:
responsive to all op the set of operations completing execution, rejoin a parent thread of the application.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the set of operations within the block of code of the application that are distinct and process unrelated data are identified within the block of code.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the time limit is a default time limit that triggers parallelization of operations within the block of code of the application that are distinct and process unrelated data when the default time limit has been exceeded and wherein the default time limit is used when a predetermined time limit fails to be identified within the block of code of the application.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
execute a first operation on a first thread in the processor, wherein the first operation is from a set of operations within a block of code of an application that are distinct and process unrelated data;
determine whether a time limit associated with executing the first operation has been exceeded;
responsive to the time limit being exceeded, determine whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, spawn off a new thread on the processor to execute a next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
responsive to the time limit failing to be exceeded, determine whether the first operation has completed;
responsive to the first operation completing before the time limit is exceeded, determine whether there is one or more unexecuted operations in the set of operations; and
responsive to one or more unexecuted operations existing in the set of operations, execute the next unexecuted operation of the one or more unexecuted operations.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
for each unexecuted operation in the one or more unexecuted operations spawned off to a new associated thread due to a previous operation exceeding the time limit;
execut

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ingram Samuel K
• Reyes Sergio
• Twichell Brian C
• Zhang Yijie

Classifications

• G06F9/4881 Primary

  Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues · CPC title

• G06F9/48 Primary

  Program initiating; Program switching, e.g. by interrupt · CPC title