Abstract: A method and system of copying a memory area between processor elements for lock-step execution. At least some of the illustrative embodiments may be a method comprising executing duplicate copies of a first program in a first processor of a first multiprocessor computer system and in a first processor of a second multiprocessor computer system (the executing substantially in lock-step), executing a second program in a second processor element of the first multiprocessor computer system (the first and second processors of the first multiprocessor computer system sharing an input/output (I/O) bridge), copying a memory area of the second program executing in the second processor element of the first multiprocessor computer system to a memory of a second processor element in the second multiprocessor computer system while the duplicate copies of the first program are executing in the first processor elements, and then executing duplicate copies of the second program in the second processors in lock-step.

Abstract: A method and system of copying memory from a source processor to a target processor by duplicating memory writes. At least some of the exemplary embodiments may be a method comprising stopping execution of a user program on a target processor (the target processor coupled to a first memory), continuing to execute a duplicate copy of the user program on a source processor (the source processor coupled to a second memory and generating writes to the second memory), duplicating memory writes of the source processor and duplicating writes by input/output adapters to create a stream of duplicate memory writes, and applying the duplicated memory writes to the first memory.

Abstract: Method and system of determining whether a user program has made a system level call and thus whether the user program is uncooperative with fault tolerant operation. Some exemplary embodiments may be a processor-based method comprising providing information from a first processor to a second processor (the information indicating that a user program executed on the first processor has not made a system level call in a predetermined amount of time), and determining by the first processor, using information from the second processor, whether a duplicate copy of the user program substantially simultaneously executed in the second processor has made a system level call in the predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A method and system of loosely lock-stepped non-deterministic processors. Some exemplary embodiments may be a processor-based method comprising executing fault tolerant copies of a user program, one copy of the user program executed in a first processor performing non-deterministic execution, and a duplicate copy of the user program executing in a second processor performing non-deterministic execution, with the executing in the first processor and second processor not in cycle-by-cycle lock-stepped.

Abstract: In an implementation of latent error detection, memory regions that each correspond to a different processor element of a redundant processor system are scanned for latent processing errors maintained as erroneous data. The data maintained in the memory regions is compared to detect a latent processing error in a first memory region. The latent processing error is resolved by copying data from a second memory region into the first memory region where the data maintained in the second memory region is determined to be identical to data maintained in at least a third memory region.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heat treating soil with or without sunlight, and more particularly to killing weed pests by pasteurizing a top soil thereby rendering the top soil particularly suitable for planting a fresh crop therein. In one embodiment a top soil heat treatment apparatus for pasteurizing a top soil is provided, the apparatus comprises a housing, a soil heater, and a first soil mover, such as a helical screw, adapted to contact a top soil with the heat source to provide pasteurized stop soil. A method is also provided to produce a pasteurized top soil suitable for planting a crop. The method comprises the step of transferring heat energy from a soil heater to a top soil in order to produce the pasteurized top soil. The pasteurized top soil has a substantially reduced capability of growing weeds and an enhanced capability of growing a crop planted therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heat treating soil with or without sunlight, and more particularly to killing weed pests by pasteurizing a top soil thereby rendering the top soil particularly suitable for planting a fresh crop therein. In one embodiment a top soil heat treatment apparatus for pasteurizing a top soil is provided, the apparatus comprises a housing, a soil heater, and a first soil mover, such as a helical screw, adapted to contact a top soil with the heat source to provide pasteurized stop soil. A method is also provided to produce a pasteurized top soil suitable for planting a crop. The method comprises the step of transferring heat energy from a soil heater to a top soil in order to produce the pasteurized top soil. The pasteurized top soil has a substantially reduced capability of growing weeds and an enhanced capability of growing a crop planted therein.

Abstract: An operating system is simulated to run in conjunction with a native operating system, allowing processes originally developed for the operating system being simulated to be ported to the environment of the native operating system with a minimum of effort. Ported processes will consume resources of both operating systems, the native operating system and the simulated operating system, that are cleaned or otherwise removed when the ported process ends by setting up a monitoring facility to detect when the ported process ends. When that occurs, the simulated operating system resources are cleaned by a cleanup process that impersonates the ported process that ended. The cleanup process is also monitored, so that when it ends, additional cleanup processes are called into action to cleanup the system resources of the remaining simulated operating system used by the ported process that ended, and the system resources used by the cleanup process.

Abstract: In a computer system including a processor and a memory, a fast memory dump is conducted upon receiving an indication that the processor requires reloading. The fast memory dump is conducted by initially dumping a portion of the memory, then reloading the processor, and then conducting a post-reload dump of the remainder of the memory after reloading of the processor has commenced. As the post-reload dump continues, the remainder of the memory is gradually released for processor usage. This permits the processor to return as a resource more quickly than would be the case if a full memory dump was conducted before reloading the processor.

Abstract: In a computer system including a processor and a memory, a fast memory dump is conducted upon receiving an indication that the processor requires reloading. The fast memory dump is conducted by initially dumping a portion of the memory, then reloading the processor, and then conducting a post-reload dump of the remainder of the memory after reloading of the processor has commenced. As the post-reload dump continues, the remainder of the memory is gradually released for processor usage. This permits the processor to return as a resource more quickly than would be the case if a full memory dump was conducted before reloading the processor.