SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORGANIZING DEPENDENT AND SEQUENTIAL SOFTWARE THREADS
Systems and methods are provided for the organization of dependent and sequential software threads running multiple threads of execution on a computing device in order to improve performance and reduce the complexity of thread management. Computing tasks, or jobs, are organized into job wrappers for ordered execution. In response to receiving a request to create a job wrapper, the computing device initializes the job wrapper; initializes a shared data table having a plurality of variables that can be accessed by software threads that comprise the job wrapper; setting a first variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of one software thread to another software thread; finally executing the job wrapper.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving a request to create a job wrapper comprising a plurality of software threads, wherein the plurality of software threads comprises a first software thread and a second software thread dependent on the first software thread;
initializing the job wrapper comprising:
creating at least one job based on at least the first software thread and the second software thread;
initializing a shared data table having a plurality of variables that can be accessed by at least one of the first software thread and the second software thread; and
setting a first variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of the second software thread on the first software thread; and
in response to initializing the job wrapper, executing the job wrapper.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the job wrapper comprises initiating execution of the first software thread before initiating execution of the second software thread.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein executing the job wrapper comprises:
initiating execution of the first software thread;
accessing and modifying the first variable in the shared data table based on the execution of the first software thread; and
in response to modifying the first variable in the shared data table, initiating execution of the second software thread.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising initiating execution of the second software thread after completion of the execution of the first software thread.
5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising initiating execution of the second software thread before completion of the execution of the first software thread.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first variable is a flag that determines when to initiate execution of the second software thread.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating the at least one job that is further based on a third software thread that is dependent on the first software thread and independent of the second software thread;
initializing the shared data table having the plurality of variables that can be further accessed by the third software thread;
setting a second variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of the third software thread on the first software thread; and
initiating execution of the second software thread and the third software thread after initiating execution of the first software thread.
8 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having executable instructions that are operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:
receive a request to create a job wrapper comprising a plurality of software threads, wherein the plurality of software threads comprises a first software thread and a second software thread dependent on the first software thread;
initialize the job wrapper comprising:
creating at least one job based on at least the first software thread and the second software thread;
initializing a shared data table having a plurality of variables that can be accessed by at least one of the first software thread and the second software thread; and
setting a first variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of the second software thread on the first software thread; and
in response to initializing the job wrapper, executing the job wrapper.
9 . The computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising executable instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus to initiate execution of the first software thread before initiating execution of the second software thread.
10 . The computer readable medium of claim 8 , further comprising executable instructions wherein execution of the job wrapper comprises:
initiating execution of the first software thread;
accessing and modifying the first variable in the shared data table based on the execution of the first software thread; and
in response to modifying the first variable in the shared data table, initiating execution of the second software thread.
11 . The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising executable instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus to initiate execution of the second software thread after completion of the execution of the first software thread.
12 . The computer readable medium of claim 10 , further comprising executable instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus to initiating execution of the second software thread before completion of the execution of the first software thread.
13 . The computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first variable is a flag that determines when to initiate execution of the second software thread.
14 . An apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to run a module stored in memory, the module configured to:
receive a request to create a job wrapper comprising a plurality of software threads, wherein the plurality of software threads comprises a first software thread and a second software thread dependent on the first software thread;
initialize the job wrapper comprising:
creating at least one job based on at least the first software thread and the second software thread;
initializing a shared data table having a plurality of variables that can be accessed by at least one of the first software thread and the second software thread; and
setting a first variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of the second software thread on the first software thread; and
in response to initializing the job wrapper, executing the job wrapper.
15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the module configured to execute the job wrapper is configured to initiate execution of the first software thread before initiating execution of the second software thread.
16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the module configured to execute the job wrapper is configured to:
initiate execution of the first software thread;
access and modify the first variable in the shared data table based on the execution of the first software thread; and
in response to modifying the first variable in the shared data table, initiate execution of the second software thread.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the execution of the job wrapper further comprises initiating execution of the second software thread after completion of the execution of the first software thread.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the execution of the job wrapper further comprises initiating execution of the second software thread before completion of the execution of the first software thread.
19 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the first variable is a flag that determines when to initiate execution of the second software thread.
20 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the module is further configured to:
create the at least one job that is further based on a third software thread that is dependent on the first software thread and independent of the second software thread;
initialize the shared data table having the plurality of variables that can be further accessed by the third software thread;
set a second variable in the plurality of variables to assign a dependency of the third software thread on the first software thread; and
initiate execution of the second software thread and the third software thread after initiating execution of the first software thread.