Time of day response
View Patent ↗In an implementation of time of day response, time logic executed by each processor element of a logical processor generates a logical time in response to a time of day request. The logical time is generated to approximate the actual time such that each processor element of the logical processor returns the same logical time.
1. A redundant processor system, comprising:
a logical processor that includes processor elements;
time logic executable by each of the processor elements of the logical processor, the time logic configured to generate a logical time in response to a time of day request from a requestor, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements of the logical processor returns, to the requestor, a same logical time in response to the time of day request, wherein the processor elements of the logical processor are configured to perform computations for the requestor and to coordinate and synchronize with each other, and
wherein the processor elements of the logical processor all returning the same logical time to the requestor allows the requestor to perform a transaction using the same logical time; and
logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements, wherein each of the logical time registers is configured to maintain a current logical time, and wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to determine whether to increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the logical time in response to the time of day request.
2. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register by a same amount to generate the same logical time.
3. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time; and
update the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to the actual time if the current logical time is less than the actual time.
4. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
set a corresponding time response flag to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
update the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register according to the logic state of the corresponding time response flag.
5. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
set a corresponding time response flag to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the logical time according to the logic state of the corresponding time response flag.
6. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
set a corresponding time response flag to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is greater than the actual time; and
return the current logical time according to the logic state of the corresponding time response flag.
7. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
determine whether a corresponding response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
obtain the actual time if the corresponding response counter exceeds the set number of logical time responses;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time; and
increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the logical time if the current logical time is less than the actual time.
8. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
determine whether a corresponding response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
obtain the actual time if the corresponding response counter exceeds the set number of logical time responses;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is greater than the actual time; and
return the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register if the current logical time is greater than the actual time.
9. The redundant processor system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising memory components associated with the respective processor elements, wherein each of the memory components includes the respective time logic corresponding to the respective one of the processor elements.
10. A redundant processor system, comprising:
a logical processor that includes processor elements; and
time logic executed by each of the processor elements of the logical processor, the time logic configured to generate a logical time in response to a time of day request, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements of the logical processor returns a same logical time; and
logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements, each of the logical time registers configured to maintain a current logical time, and wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time;
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time, increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request, wherein the time logic executed by each of the processor elements is configured to increment the current logical time maintained in the corresponding logical time register by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time; and
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is not less than the actual time, return the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register as the same logical time in response to the time of day request.
11. A redundant processor system, comprising:
a logical processor that includes processor elements; and
time logic executed by each of the processor elements of the logical processor, the time logic configured to generate a logical time in response to a time of day request, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements of the logical processor returns a same logical time; and
logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements, each of the logical time registers configured to maintain a current logical time, and wherein the time logic executable by each of the processor elements is further configured to:
obtain the actual time
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time;
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time, increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request, wherein the time logic executed by each of the processor elements is configured to increment the current logical time maintained in the corresponding logical time register by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time;
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is not less than the actual time, return the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register as the same logical time in response to the time of day request;
determine whether a corresponding response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
wherein the actual time is obtained in response to the corresponding response counter exceeding the set number of logical time responses; and
update the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to the actual time if the current logical time is less than the actual time, wherein the current logical time update is performed prior to the current logical time incrementing.
12. A time response system comprising:
time logic modules associated with corresponding processor elements of a logical processor, wherein each of the time logical modules is configured to generate a corresponding logical time in response to a time of day request, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements that executes the corresponding time logic module returns a same logical time in response to the time of day request; and
logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements, each of the logical time registers configured to maintain a current logical time, wherein each of the time logic modules is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time; and
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time, increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request, wherein the time logic module associated with each of the processor elements is configured to increment the current logical time maintained in the corresponding logical time register by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time; and
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is not less than the actual time, return the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register as the same logical time in response to the time of day request.
13. A time response system comprising:
time logic modules associated with corresponding processor elements of a logical processor, wherein each of the time logical modules is configured to generate a corresponding logical time in response to a time of day request, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements that executes the corresponding time logic module returns a same logical time in response to the time of day request; and
logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements, each of the logical time registers configured to maintain a current logical time, wherein each of the time logic modules is further configured to:
obtain the actual time;
determine whether the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time; and
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is less than the actual time, increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request, wherein the time logic module associated with each of the processor elements is configured to increment the current logical time maintained in the corresponding logical time register by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time;
in response to determining that the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register is not less than the actual time, return the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register as the same logical time in response to the time of day request;
determine whether a corresponding response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
wherein the actual time is obtained in response to the corresponding response counter exceeding the set number of logical time responses; and
update the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to the actual time if the current logical time is less than the actual time, wherein the current logical time update is performed prior to the current logical time incrementing.
14. A method, comprising:
receiving a time of day request from a requestor;
generating, by time logic executed on each of plural processor elements of a logical processor, a logical time in response to the time of day request, the logical time being generated to approximate an actual time;
returning the logical time such that each of the processor elements of the logical processor returns a same logical time in response to the time of day request;
performing, by the processor elements of the logical processor, computations for the requestor, wherein the processor elements coordinate and synchronize with each other;
using, by the requestor, the same logical time returned by the processor elements to perform a transaction by the requestor;
providing a current logical time in each of logical time registers associated with the respective processor elements; and
determining, by the time logic executed by each of the plural processor elements, whether to increment the current logical time in the corresponding logical time register to generate the logical time in response to the time of day request.
15. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time by a corresponding one of the time logic executed on the corresponding processor element;
determining whether the current logical time maintained by the corresponding one of the time logic executed on the corresponding processor element is less than the actual time;
in response to determining that the current logical time maintained by the corresponding one of the time logic executed on the corresponding processor element is less than the actual time, incrementing the current logical time maintained by the corresponding time logic to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request; and
in response to determining that the current logical time maintained by the corresponding one of the time logic executed on the corresponding processor element is not less than the actual time, returning the current logical time maintained by the corresponding time logic as the same logical time in response to the time of day request.
16. The method as recited in claim 15 , further comprising:
determining, by the corresponding one of the time logic, whether a response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
wherein obtaining the actual time is in response to the response counter exceeding the set number of logical time responses;
setting, by the corresponding one of time logic, a time response flag corresponding to each of the processor elements to a logic state that indicates the current logical time maintained by the corresponding one of the time logic is less than the actual time; and
updating, by the corresponding one of time logic, the current logical time to the actual time according to the logic state of the time response flag, wherein the current logical time updating is performed prior to the current logical time incrementing.
17. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time;
determining whether the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
incrementing the logical time register corresponding to each of the processor elements to generate the logical time if the current logical time is less than the actual time.
18. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time;
determining whether the current logical time is greater than the actual time; and
wherein returning the logical time includes returning the logical time as the current logical time if the current logical time is greater than the actual time.
19. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time;
setting a time response flag corresponding to each of the processor elements to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
updating the current logical time to the actual time according to the logic state of the time response flag.
20. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time;
setting a time response flag corresponding to each of the processor elements to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
incrementing the logical time register corresponding to each of the processor elements to generate the logical time according to the logic state of the time response flag.
21. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
obtaining the actual time;
setting a time response flag corresponding to each of the processor elements to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is greater than the actual time; and
wherein returning the logical time includes returning the logical time as the current logical time according to the logic state of the time response flag.
22. The method as recited in claim 14 , further comprising:
updating, by the time logic executed on each of the plural processor elements, a current logical time maintained for each of the plural processor elements by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time.
23. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a time response system to:
maintain a current logical time for each of plural processor elements of a logical processor;
receive a time of day request;
generate, for each of the plural processor elements, a logical time to approximate an actual time such that each of the processor elements of the logical processor returns a same logical time in response to the time of day request;
obtain the actual time;
determine whether the current logical time maintained for a corresponding one of the plural processor elements is less than the actual time;
in response to determining that the current logical time maintained for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements is less than the actual time, increment the current logical time maintained for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements to generate the same logical time in response to the time of day request; and
in response to determining that the current logical time maintained for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements is not less than the actual time, return the current logical time maintained for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements as the same logical time in response to the time of day request.
24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 23 , further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the time response system to, for each of the processor elements, increment the current logical time to generate the logical time, and update the current logical time to the incremented current logical time.
25. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media as recited in claim 23 , further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the time response system to:
determine, for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements, whether a response counter exceeds a set number of logical time responses;
wherein obtaining the actual time is in response to the response counter exceeding the set number of logical time responses;
set, for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements, a time response flag to a logic state that indicates the current logical time is less than the actual time; and
update, for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements, the current logical time to the actual time maintained for the corresponding one of the plural processor elements to generate the same logical time according to the logic state of the time response flag.
26. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 23 , further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the time response system to:
update a current logical time maintained for each of the processor elements by a deterministic amount to produce the same logical time.