Nathan P Mitchell

US Patent:

56301324, May 13, 1997

Filed:

May 23, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/449511

Inventors:

Gary G. Allran - Boca Raton FL
Donald E. Carmon - Durham NC
Fetchi Chen - Boca Raton FL
Jose A. Eduartez - Miami Beach FL
Charles R. Knox - Raleigh NC
William L. Lawton - Boca Raton FL
Llewellyn B. Marshall - Cary NC
Nathan A. Mitchell - Raleigh NC
Malcolm C. Ware - Raleigh NC
Raymond W. Weeks - Apex NC
Charles R. Young - Cary NC

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 300
G06F 1700
G06F 1300

US Classification:

395670

Abstract:

A data processing system for executing multimedia applications which interface with multimedia devices that consume or produce at least one of real-time and asynchronous streamed data includes a CPU for execution of one or more multimedia applications and a DSP for processing data including streamed data. A plurality of modular multimedia software tasks may be called by the multimedia application for execution in the DSP. A plurality of data communication modules are provided for linking selected ones of the software tasks with selected others of the software tasks, and linking selected multimedia devices with selected ones of the software tasks. Each of the communications modules allows continuous, real-time and unidirectional communication of streamed data. The modularity of the processing system defines an open architecture for real-time processing which allows additional modular multimedia tasks to be added to the software tasks and selectively linked to at least one of (a) selected ones of the software tasks, and (b) selected ones of the multimedia devices. A DSP manager is resident in the CPU which dynamically monitors resource allocation to allow at least one software task to be loaded and executed while at least one other software task is being executed by the DSP without interference with execution.

US Patent:

56258453, Apr 29, 1997

Filed:

Oct 13, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/960976

Inventors:

Gary G. Allran - Boca Raton FL
Donald E. Carmon - Durham NC
Fetchi Chen - Boca Raton FL
Jose A. Eduartez - Miami Beach FL
Charles R. Knox - Raleigh NC
William W. Lawton - Boca Raton FL
Llewellyn B. Marshall - Cary NC
Nathan A. Mitchell - Raleigh NC
Malcolm S. Ware - Raleigh NC
Raymond W. Weeks - Apex NC
Yoav Medan - Haifa, IL
Uzi Shvadron - Misgav, IL

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1314
G06F 1320

US Classification:

395856

Abstract:

A data processing system is provided for executing multimedia applications which interface with multimedia end devices that consume or produce at least one of (a) real-time and (b) asynchronous streamed data. The data processing system includes a central processing unit for data processing operations including execution of the multimedia application, a digital signal processor for processing data including the streamed data, and a plurality of modular components which cooperate to provide a substantially open architecture. The plurality of modular components include a plurality of modular multimedia software tasks which are executable by the digital signal processor and which may be called by the multimedia application for execution in the digital signal processor, as well as a plurality of data communication modules for linking selected ones of the plurality of modular multimedia software tasks with selected others of the plurality of modular multimedia software tasks, and for linking selected multimedia end devices with selected ones of the plurality of modular multimedia software tasks. Each of the plurality of data communication modules allows continuous, real-time and unidirectional communication of streamed data. The enhanced connectivity of the modular approach for the multimedia data processing system allows additional modular multimedia software tasks to be added to the plurality of modular multimedia software tasks and selectively linked to selected ones of the plurality of modular multimedia software tasks and selected ones of the multimedia end devices.