SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME CONTROL OF HARDWARE IN A MULTIPROCESSING ENVIRONMENT

A hardware resource manager for real-time control of a hardware resource in a multiprocessing environment is disclosed. The hardware resource manager performs control and management functions for a limited hardware resource that can be accessed by multiple asynchronous application programs in order to achieve real-time response by the limited hardware resource. The hardware resource manager of the present invention comprises a shared memory buffer and a resource daemon. The shared memory buffer provides for semaphore locking capability so that only one application program may control the hardware resource manager at a time, and virtual memory capability for storing data and command information from the application programs. The resource daemon provides interpretation and processing capability for controlling the limited hardware resource via the data and command information received from the shared memory buffer. In addition, the daemon provides operational functionality that is matched to the type of limited hardware resource with which the hardware resource manager is associated, such as audio hardware or texture mapping hardware.