Hardware-assisted tuple space
View Patent ↗A hardware-assisted tuple space, comprising a tuple memory for storing tuples of key-value pairs of data; an anti-tuple memory for storing anti-tuples of key-value pairs of data; tuple attribute array memory for storing selected attributes of respective ones of the tuples and anti-tuples; and an input/output and memory control interface for (i) exchanging tuples and anti-tuples between an external process and the tuple and anti-tuple memories, (ii) performing preliminary searches of the tuple attribute array memory to identify possible matching tuples and anti-tuples, and (iii) comparing the key-value pairs of the possible matching tuples and anti-tuples to identify actual matching tuples and anti-tuples.
1. A hardware-assisted tuple space, comprising:
a tuple memory for storing tuples of key-value pairs of data;
an anti-tuple memory for storing anti-tuples of key-value pairs of data;
tuple attribute array memory for storing selected attributes of respective ones of said tuples and anti-tuples; and
an input/output and memory control interface for (i) exchanging tuples and anti-tuples between an external process and said tuple and anti-tuple memories, (ii) performing preliminary searches of said tuple attribute array memory to identify possible matching tuples and anti-tuples, and (iii) comparing said key-value pairs of said possible matching tuples and anti-tuples to identify actual matching tuples and anti-tuples.
2. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 1 , wherein said tuple memory and said anti-tuple memory are implemented using RAM.
3. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes indicates the number of said key-values pairs of each of said tuples and anti-tuples.
4. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes is a flag which indicates whether said respective ones of said tuples and anti-tuples are activated for inclusion in said preliminary searches or deactivated for exclusion from said preliminary searches.
5. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes indicates the starting addresses in said tuple memory and anti-tuple memory for each of said tuples and anti-tuples, respectively.
6. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes provides the length of each of said tuples and anti-tuple in words.
7. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes indicates an absolute system time at which each of said tuples and anti-tuple is to be cancelled.
8. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 2 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes is a flag which indicates whether said respective ones of said tuples and anti-tuples is to be cancelled and removed from memory.
9. The hardware-assisted tuple space of claim 1 , wherein said tuple attribute array memory comprises a first array memory for storing attributes of said tuples in said tuple memory and a second array memory for storing attributes of said anti-tuples in said anti-tuple memory.
10. A method of operating a tuple space implemented in memory, comprising:
storing tuples of key-value pairs of data;
storing anti-tuples of key-value pairs of data;
storing selected attributes of respective ones of said tuples and anti-tuples;
performing preliminary searches of said selected attributes to identify possible matching tuples and anti-tuples; and
comparing said key-value pairs of said possible matching tuples and anti-tuples to identify actual matching tuples and anti-tuples.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes indicates the number of said key-values pairs of each of said tuples and anti-tuples, and wherein said preliminary searches include comparing said number of said key-values pairs of each of said tuples and anti-tuples to identify said possible matching tuples and anti-tuples.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes indicates the starting addresses in said memory for comparing said key-value pairs of said possible matching tuples and anti-tuples, respectively.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes provides the length of each of said tuples and anti-tuple in words, and wherein said preliminary searches include comparing said length of each of said tuples and anti-tuples to identify said possible matching tuples and anti-tuples.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of said selected attributes is a flag which indicates whether a respective one of said tuples or anti-tuples is to be cancelled and removed from said memory and at least one further selected attribute indicates a starting address in said memory for said respective tuple or anti-tuple, and wherein said method further comprises searching said attributes for said flag and in response to locating said flag moving successive ones of said tuples and anti-tuples upward in said memory beginning immediately below said starting address, thereby removing said respective one of said tuples or anti-tuples.