JPH11120009A - Inter-process communication controller - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] One-to-one mutual communication and one-to-one communication between a plurality of processes
Multi-point broadcast communication is realized without lowering the processing performance of the entire system. When each thread (33) operating in a server process (31) for communication control receives a message message for inter-process communication from a client process (35) via a named pipe (34), a destination of the message message is transmitted to the message message. Check if the process identification information is included. If it is determined that there is identification information of the transmission destination process, the process information table 32 is searched to obtain the identification information of the thread corresponding to the identification information of the transmission destination process. Transfer the message message. When it is determined that there is no identification information of the transmission destination process, the message message is transferred to the client processes connected to all the other threads.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inter-process communication control device provided in a data processing system having a multi-process function in which a plurality of processes perform an enhancing operation while communicating with each other.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a scheduler which is started every time a designated time elapses, a flow controller which controls various processes in accordance with the scheduler, an online task for receiving data from a host, and a database for receiving data received by the online task. In a data processing system having a multitasking function in which a plurality of processes cooperate while communicating with each other, such as an update task for updating the Establish a network connection with all other processes using a communication interface such as a named pipe, and during communication between processes, the source process specifies the connection pipe of the destination process and then sends a message message Method or all processes in a single pipe, for example in a bus Or a ring connection, and during communication between processes, the source process sends a message message to all other processes, and it is determined whether the process that received this message is a message addressed to itself. It had been. Then, one-to-one mutual communication and one-to-many broadcast communication between a plurality of processes have been realized by one of the methods.

[0003]

However, in the case of adopting the former method of connecting the respective processes in a mesh pattern, the source process must specify the connection pipe of the destination process. Complicated control such as coding is required to specify the pipe, and there is a problem that the processing performance of the entire system is reduced since each process must individually perform the complicated control.

On the other hand, when the latter method of connecting all processes to one pipe is adopted, all processes except the transmission source process receive the same message. Processing to determine whether the message is a message is required, and the processing performance of the entire system has also been reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide one-to-one intercommunication and one-to-many broadcast communication between a plurality of processes to achieve processing performance of the entire system. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inter-process communication control device which can be realized without lowering the communication speed.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an inter-process communication control apparatus provided in a data processing system having a multitasking function in which a plurality of processes cooperate with each other while communicating with each other. A plurality of inter-process communication means communicably connected to each other; a storage means for storing identification information of a process connected to each inter-process communication means in association with the identification information of the inter-process communication means; Receiving means for receiving an inter-process communication message message from a process connected to the communication means. When the receiving means receives a message message for inter-process communication from any of the processes, the judging means checks whether or not the message message includes identification information of the transmission destination process. Here, when it is determined that there is identification information of the transmission destination process, the storage unit is searched to obtain the identification information of the inter-process communication unit corresponding to the identification information of the transmission destination process, and the obtained identification information is used. The message message for inter-process communication received by the receiving means is transferred to the process connected to the identified inter-process communication means. Also, when the determination means determines that there is no identification information of the transmission destination process, the inter-process communication message received by the reception means in all processes except the transmission destination process among the processes connected to the respective inter-process communication means. It is designed to transfer messages.

In this method, the determining means determines that the message message has identification information of the destination process, and searches the storage means, but cannot obtain the identification information of the inter-process communication means corresponding to the identification information of the destination process. In such a case, it is advantageous to add a means for returning the message message for inter-process communication received by the receiving means to the source process.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a data processing system incorporating the inter-process communication control device of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a data processing system according to the present embodiment has a main storage unit 11 for storing a program to be executed and a CPU (central processing unit) for executing each instruction of the program stored in the main storage unit 11. And an input / output control unit 13 for controlling communication with an external system connected to the network and input / output devices such as a display, a keyboard, and a magnetic disk.
The CPU 12, the main storage unit 11, and the input / output control unit 13 are connected by a system bus 14, respectively.

FIG. 2 shows a program structure installed in the data processing system according to the present embodiment. An OS (Operating System) 21 which provides basic functions and various tasks executed by the data processing system are shown. Process programs 22 (2
2-A, 22-B, 22-C, 22-D, 22-E), and an inter-process communication control program 23 for implementing the inter-process communication control of the present invention. Note that these programs 21 to 23 are stored in an auxiliary storage device such as a magnetic disk, and are read into the main storage unit 1 at the time of execution.

The data processing system according to the present embodiment uses a plurality of process programs 2 by one CPU 12.
2 (22-A, 22-B, 22-C, 22-D, 22-E) at the same time. That is, the main storage unit 11, the CPU 12, and the input / output control unit 13 are virtually multiplexed by the operating system 21 by the number of programs to be executed at the same time, and each program can be executed in parallel by the multiplexed virtual system. I have. Here, an entity that generates a virtual system and executes a program is defined as a process.

In the data processing system according to the present embodiment, a plurality of processes cooperate with each other while communicating with each other. For example, assuming that one process is a process of summarizing data and another process is a process of printing data, the process of summarizing is a process of printing a summation result with respect to a process of printing. Send a message message requesting The printing process transmits a message message notifying the result of the requested process to the tallying process. The program that controls such communication between a plurality of processes (one-to-one mutual communication and one-to-many broadcast communication) is the inter-process communication control program 23.

FIG. 3 schematically shows each process connection form realized in the data processing system by executing the inter-process communication control program 23. In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a virtual entity communication control server process that executes the inter-process communication control program 23. As shown in FIG. 5, the communication control server process 31 first creates a process information table 32 in the main storage unit 11 which can be accessed at high speed. Next, one thread 33-1 for inter-process communication is generated. After that, it waits for a thread generation request, and generates the same threads 33-2, 33-3, 33-4 one by one each time the generation request is received.

Each thread 33-1 33-2 33-3 33
Reference numeral -4 denotes a virtual entity of a minimum execution unit that operates in the communication control server process 31, and performs the operation of the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, first, the named pipes 34-1, 34-34 functioning as inter-process communication interfaces.
2, 34-3, and 34-4, and the pipes 34-1, 34-
Other processes (client processes for the communication control server process 31) 35-
Wait for A, 35-B, 35-C to be connected. The client processes 35-A, 35-B, 35-C are respectively the above-mentioned process programs 22-A, 22-B, 22-C, 2
2-D, 22-E,... Are virtual entities that execute one of them.
Here, the named pipes 34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34
-4 constitutes an inter-process communication means.

Each thread 33-1, 33-2, 33-3, 33
-4 is a named pipe 34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4
When the client processes 35-A, 35-B, and 35-C are connected to the client process 35, a request to create a thread having the same function as that of the client process 35-A, 35-A, and The identification information of the process (for example, a keyword that can be used as a destination such as a process name) is obtained from B and 35-C. Then, the process identification information is registered in the process information table 32 together with the identification information of the own thread (for example, the start address). Here, the process information table 32 forms a storage unit.

Thereafter, each of the threads 33-1, 33-2, 33
-3, 33-4 are their own named pipes 34-1, 34-2,
Client process 35- connected to 34-3, 34-4
It waits to receive a message message for inter-process communication from A, 35-B, 35-C.

Each client process 35-A, 35-B,
35-C creates a message message in a predetermined format based on the contents of the processing request when the operation timing for requesting the other process to perform some processing is connected, and the message message is connected to its own process. Write to the named pipes 34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4. As shown in FIG. 4, the message message includes destination process information 41 for specifying a process request destination process, source process information 42 for specifying a process request source process, and a message for discriminating and managing a message. Serial number 43,
A message type flag 44 for determining whether the message is a processing request message or a request processing result response message, a result data field 45 for storing a processing result of the requested processing, and a content of the requested processing. And a parameter data field 47 for storing additional information on the contents of the requested processing.

Therefore, each of the threads 33-1, 33-2, 33-
3, 33-4 are their own named pipes 34-1, 34-2,
Client processes 35-A and 35- are assigned to 34-3 and 34-4.
When the message message is written from B, 35-C, the message message is read and analyzed (receiving means), and it is determined whether the destination process information 41 is set (determining means). When the transmission destination process information 41 is not set, the message message is a message to be transmitted to all the active client processes except for the transmission source process. The process recognizes all threads connected to the process except the own thread, and passes the message message to all the threads (broadcast communication control means).

On the other hand, when the transmission destination process information 41 is set in the message message, the message message is a message to be transmitted to the client process specified by the transmission source process information 41, Searches the table 32 and sends the source process information 41
Check whether the identification information of the client process that matches with is registered. As a result, if it has been registered, the thread identification information corresponding to the identification information of the client process is acquired (acquisition means), and the message message is passed to the thread specified by the thread identification information (mutual communication). Communication control means). If it is not registered, its own named pipes 34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 3
Write the message in 4-4 (return means). After that, the client processes 35-A, 35-B, 35-C again
Waits to receive a message message for interprocess communication from.

The threads 33-1, 33-2, 33-3, and 33-4, which have received the message, connect to their own named pipes 34-1, 34-2, 34-3, and 34-4. Write the message message. Each client process 35-A, 35-
B, 35-C are connected named pipes 34-1, 34-
Threads 33-1, 33-2, 33- are assigned to 2, 34-3, 34-4.
When a message message is written from 3, 33-4, the message message is read and analyzed.

Each of the threads 33-1, 33-2, 33-
3, 33-4, even if a client process is once connected and its process identification information is written in the process information table 32, if the connected process is terminated or the connection is released for some reason, Then, the identification information of the connected process is deleted from the process information table 32.

Here, each thread 33-1, 33-2, 33
Reference numerals -3 and 33-4 constitute a receiving unit, a determining unit, an information acquiring unit, an intercommunication controlling unit, a broadcast communication controlling unit, and a returning unit.

In the present embodiment having such a configuration,
Now, as shown in FIG. 3, the first client process 35-A is connected to the named pipe 34-1 of the first thread 33-1 and the named pipe 34 of the second thread 33-2.
-2, a second client process 35-B is connected, a third thread 33-3 is connected to a named pipe 34-3, a third client process 35-C is connected, and a fourth thread 33-4 is connected. It is assumed that no client process is connected to the named pipe 34-4. In this case, in the process information table 32, the identification information [Process A] of the first client process 35-A is registered corresponding to the identification information [Thread 1] of the first thread 33-1. The second corresponding to the identification information [thread 2] of the thread 33-2
Of the third client process 35-B is registered, and the third client process 35 corresponding to the identification information [thread 3] of the third thread 33-3 is registered.
-C identification information [process C] is registered.

In this state, for example, if the operation timing for requesting the processing from the first client process 35-A to the second client process 35-B comes,
The client process 35-A sets the identification information [process B] of the second client process 35-B as the transmission destination process information 41, and the transmission source process information 42
Is set as the identification information [process A] of the own process, and a message message M1 in which a unique serial number, a type flag indicating a processing request message, a processing request command and parameters are set, and the named pipe 34 Write to -1.

Accordingly, the first thread 33-1 reads and analyzes the message message M1 written in its own named pipe 34-1. Then, since the destination process information [process B] is set, the process information table 32 is searched using the destination process information [process B] as a search key. Since the identification information [thread 2] of the second thread 33-2 is registered in correspondence with the process information [process B], the message message M1 is stored in the second thread 33-2. hand over.

Thus, the second thread 33-2 writes the message message M1 into its own named pipe 34-2. When the second client process 35-B reads the message message M1 written in the connected named pipe 34-2, the second client process 35-B identifies the process requested from the process request command in the message M1. Then, the specified process is executed using the parameter data. When this process is completed, the source process information [process A] in the message message M1 is set as the destination process information, and the identification information [process B] of the own process is set as the source process information 42. A message message M2 in which the serial number in the message M1, the type flag indicating the result response message, and the processing result data are set is created and written into the named pipe 34-2.

Thus, the second thread 33-2 reads and analyzes the message message M2 written in its own named pipe 34-2. Then, since the destination process information [process A] is set, the process information table 32 is searched using the destination process information [process A] as a search key. Since the identification information [thread 1] of the first thread 33-1 is registered corresponding to the process information [process A], the message message M2 is stored in the first thread 33-1. hand over.

Thus, the first thread 33-1 writes the message message M2 into its own named pipe 34-1. When the first client process 35-A reads the message message M2 written in the connected named pipe 34-1, it reads the source process information, serial number, and processing result data in the message M2. , The result of the process requested to the client process 35-B can be known.

Thus, the first client process 3
One-to-one mutual communication between 5-A and the second client process 35-B is realized. In addition, one-to-one interaction between the first client process 35-A and the third client process 35-C and between the second client process 35-B and the third client process 35-C. Communication is similarly realized.

For example, as the destination process information 41 of the message message M1 sent from the first client process 35-A, each thread 33-1, 33-2, 3
If the identification information of the unconnected client process is set in 3-3, 33-4, this message message M
The thread 33-1 that has read 1 from its own named pipe 34-1 determines that the destination is unknown because the destination process information 41 in the message M1 is not registered in the process information table 32. And the message message M
If the destination process information 41 in 1 and the source process information are exchanged and a destination unknown error code is set in the result data field 45, this message message M1 is written into its own named pipe 34-1. . The first client process 35-A sends the message message M1 written to the connected named pipe 34-1.
Is read out, based on the source process information, the serial number, and the error code in the message M1, it is recognized that the processing request to another process is an error, and error recovery processing such as retry is executed.

On the other hand, for example, when the operation timing for requesting the processing from the first client process 35-A to all the other client processes comes, the first client process 35-A transmits itself as the transmission source process information 42. Process identification information [process A] is set, a unique serial number, a type flag indicating a process request message, a process request command and parameters are set, and a message message M3 is set without setting the destination process information 41. And writes it into the named pipe 34-1.

Thus, the first thread 33-1 reads and analyzes the message message M3 written in its own named pipe 34-1. Since the destination process information has not been set, all the threads (the second thread 33) in which the process information other than the source process information [process A] is registered with reference to the process information table 32 are set.
-2, the third thread 33-3) is determined. Then, the message message M3 is assigned to these threads 33-2 and 33-3.
give.

Thus, the second thread 33-2 and the third thread 33-3 write the message message M3 into their own named pipes 34-2 and 34-3, respectively. When the second client process 35-B reads the message message M3 written in the connected named pipe 34-2, the second client process 35-B identifies the process requested from the process request command in the message M3. Then, the specified process is executed using the parameter data. Also, when the third client process 35-C reads the message message M3 written in the connected named pipe 34-3, the process requested by the processing request command in the message M3 is also performed. And executes the specified process using the parameter data.

Thus, the first client process 3
A one-to-many broadcast communication between 5-A and all other client processes 35-B and 35-C is realized. Further, between the second client process 35-B and the other client processes 35-A and 35-C, and between the third client process 35-C and the other client processes 35-C.
-A, one-to-many broadcast communication with 35-B is similarly realized.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, various process programs 22 (22-A, 22-B, 22-C,
Each of the client processes 35 (35-A, 35-B, 35-C) of the virtual entity that executes the inter-process communication control program 23 executes communication control of the virtual entity that executes the inter-process communication control program 23. Connections with the server processes 31 are individually established by the named pipes 34 (34-1, 34-2, 34-3, 34-4). Then, when transmitting a message to another process, a message message is created with the process information specifying the destination process as destination process information, and this message message is written into the named pipe 34. Thus, a message can be transmitted to the destination process. To send a message to all other processes, a message message in which destination process information is not set is created, and this message message is written in the named pipe 34. To send the same message.

Therefore, each client process 35
When realizing one-to-one mutual communication and one-to-many broadcast communication, it is only necessary to write a message to a pipe connected to its own process without specifying a pipe connecting a destination process. Complex control such as coding for identifying a pipe can be eliminated. As a result, process development efficiency is improved.

Also, since messages are delivered only to client processes that must receive them,
It is not necessary for each client process 35 to perform a process of determining whether the message is addressed to itself. As a result, the processing performance of the entire system is improved.

In the above embodiment, the inter-process communication control of a plurality of processes (client processes) operating in one data processing system has been described.
The present invention can be similarly applied to inter-process communication control with a process operating in another data processing system connected by a communication medium such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

In the above-described embodiment, a named pipe is used as a means for connecting the communication control server process 31 and each client process 35. However, an unnamed pipe or DCOM may be applied. In addition, it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0039]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide an inter-process communication control device capable of realizing one-to-one mutual communication and one-to-many broadcast communication between a plurality of processes without lowering the processing performance of the entire system.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of a data processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a program structure installed in the data processing system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a connection example between processes in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a format diagram of a message message used in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a communication control server process in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a thread in FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Main storage part 12 ... CPU 22 ... Process program 23 ... Inter-process communication control program 31 ... Communication control server process 32 ... Process information table 33 ... Thread 34 ... Named pipe 35 ... Client process

Claims (2)

[Claims] An inter-process communication control device provided in a data processing system having a multitasking function in which a plurality of processes cooperate with each other while communicating with each other. Inter-process communication means; storage means for storing identification information of the process connected to each of the inter-process communication means in association with identification information of the inter-process communication means; Receiving means for receiving an inter-process communication message message from a process that has received the message message, and receiving the inter-process communication message message from any process by the receiving means, the message message includes identification information of a transmission destination process. Determining means for checking whether or not there is identification information of the destination process by the determining means. Then, information acquisition means for searching the storage means and acquiring identification information of the inter-process communication means corresponding to the identification information of the destination process, and inter-process communication means identified by the identification information acquired by the information acquisition means Inter-communication control means for transferring the message for inter-process communication received by the receiving means to a process connected to the communication means; and connection to each inter-process communication means when the judgment means judges that there is no identification information of the destination process. And a broadcast communication control unit for transferring the inter-process communication message message received by the receiving unit to all processes except the transmission destination process among the processes. 2. An inter-process communication message message received by a receiving means when the information obtaining means cannot obtain the identification information of the inter-process communication means corresponding to the identification information of the transmission destination process. 2. The inter-process communication control device according to claim 1, further comprising a return means for returning the data to the communication device.