Method and apparatus for managing the access to a resource by several users in a data processing system.

摘要

The arbitrating method is based on the classification of the users in different categories, and the assignment to all users of each category of an identical privilege level which characterizes the interruption capability of the users of the category, in that a task performed by a selected user of a category can only be interrupted for granting access to the resource to a user of a category having a highest privilege level. Also a normal preference level is assigned to each user of each category, which determines the selection order of the users of the category, the privilege level of the user category and the preference level of each user constituting the priority level of the user. A user selection is made by analyzing the priority levels of the users making requests for the resource and determining the user having the highest priority level. The access to the resource is granted to a selected user which is the user having the highest priority level. If at least one user which has a privilege level higher than the privilege level of the selected user, makes a request for the resource, the task of said selected user is interrupted and the so-interrupted user is assigned an interruption preference level which is higher than the normal preference levels of the users in the category. Then a new user is selected. <IMAGE>