Processor-selection system

Claim 2

A processor-selection system comprising: a plurality of processors (la - ln) connected to each other via bus lines (2), and capable of processing various tasks, said plurality of processors (la - ln) being responsive to a task-processing request to selec­tively output task-enable signals; and means (3) con­nected to the processors, for determining a processor available for performing requested task processing, in response to the task-enable signal from at least one of the processors.

Claim 3

The processor-selection system according to claim l, characterized in that said processors (la - ln) each comprise means (ll) for outputting information representing a type of task requested to be processed and a performance level required for task processing; a task table (l3) for storing information representing various types of tasks and performance levels required for task processing; flag-storing means (l4) for storing a flag showing whether or not the task is now being pro­cessed; and means (l5) for determining, from the infor­mation of said task table and said flag, whether or not a task requested can be performed by another processor, and for outputting, when said task can be performed by another processor, a corresponding processing-enable signal to said processor-determining means (3).

Claim 4

The processor-selection system according to claim 2, characterized in that said processor-determining means includes means (Gl - G7) for outputting a level-­changing signal for changing a requested task-processing performance level, in response to said processing-enable signal which is selectively output from said processor; and said processor includes level-changing means (l2, l6) for changing said task-processing performance level, in response to said level-changing signal.

Claim 5

The processor-selection system according to claim 3, characterized in that said processor-determining means is comprised of means (Gl - G7) for determining whether or not the number of available processors is l, 0, or more than 2, by way of a processing-enable signal from the processor, and for outputting a corresponding determining signal; and said level-changing means (l2, l6) has a function of lowering the processing perform­ance level for the requested task, in response to the determining signal representing "0", and of raising the processing performance level for the requested task, in response to the determining signal representing more than 2.

Claim 6

The processor-selection system according to claim 4, characterized in that said level-changing means comprises storing means (l2) for storing a numerical value corresponding to the processing performance level for the requested task, and means (l6) for additively and subtractively performing an operation on said numerical value in said storing means, in response to the determining signal of said determining means.

Claim 7

The processor-selection system according to claim 3, characterized in that said determining means (3) generates a first logical signal (Sl) for lowering the task-processing performance level, in response to a first signal from all processors indicating that the requested task processing is not possible, and a second logical signal (S2) for raising the task-processing performance level, in response to a second signal from at least two of said all processors, indicating that the requested task processing is possible.

Claim 8

The processor-selection system comprising: a plurality of processors (la - ln) connected to each other via bus lines (2), for processing various tasks and for selectively outputting a task-enable signal, in response to a task-processing request, and means (3) connected to the processors, for determining, in response to a processing-enable signal from at least one of the processors, a processor available for a corresponding task requested to be processed, the respective processor comprising a task table (l3) for storing said various tasks, task numbers representing these tasks, and information representing respective processing performance levels, flag means (l4) for storing a flag showing whether or not at least one task is now being executed, performance-level storing means (l2) for storing information on the performance level necessary to process the requested task, and means (l5) for receiving said information stored in said task table, flag information of said flag means, and perform­ance level information relative to said requested task, and for delivering said processing-enable signal to said processor-determining means (3), in response to a coin­cidence between information representing said requested task and the task information stored in said task table, a requested task-processing performance level lower than the processing performance level of said task table and flag information representing a busy state.

Claim 9

The processor-selection system comprising: a plurality of processors (la - ln) connected to each other via bus lines (2), for processing various tasks and for selectively outputting a task-enable signal, in response to a task-processing request, and means (3) connected to the processors, for determining, in response to a processing-enable signal from at least one of the processors, a processor available for a corresponding task requested to be processed, the respective processor comprising a task table (l3) for storing said various tasks, task numbers representing these tasks, and information representing respective processing performance levels, flag means (l4) for storing a flag showing whether or not at least one task is now being executed, performance-level storing means (l2) for storing information on the performance level necessary to process the requested task, and means (l5) for receiving said information stored in said task table, flag information of said flag means, and perform­ance level information relative to said requested task, and for delivering said processing-enable signal to said processor-determining means (3), in response to a coin­cidence between information representing said requested task and the task information stored in said task table, a requested task-processing performance level lower than the processing performance level of said task table and flag information representing a busy state.