DATA PROCESSING SYSTEM

摘要

A data processing system comprising: a set of data stores for storing items of incoming data; an operating system that supports: a series of descriptors, wherein each item of incoming data is associated with one of the descriptors and each descriptor is associated with one of the stores, a plurality of the descriptors being associated with one of the stores, there being a common descriptor indicative of the descriptors of the plurality; and an instruction in respect of a set of the descriptors to which it returns a response indicating for which of the descriptors the stores contain data that has not yet been handled; and an interface for modifying communications between the operating system and a source of the said instruction so as to cause the response to the said instruction to indicate by way of the common descriptor whether the stores contain data for any of the plurality of the descriptors that are members of the set.