Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING
HETEROGENEOUS UNITS OF WORK
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to coniputer systems, and more particularly to computer
systems in which the processing for a particular task may be performed by more
than one
processor. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus
for
performing speech recognition processing on a grid computing system.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Performing computationally intensive tasks in a cost-effective manner is a
long-
standing goal in the realm of computer engineering and in various disciplines
that rely on
large-scale computing. In one approach, called grid computing, systems employ
the
unused resources of a plurality of computers ("nodes," which generally are
personal
computers, but may be any type of device having processing capacity) to
perform large-
scale processing tasks (e.g., computation tasks) while avoiding a need to
purchase all of
those computers. For example, in many grid computing systems, unused CPU
cycles
and/or storage on each node may be exploited to perform a small portion of a
larger task
while the node would otherwise be idle or lightly used. Nodes may be localized
or
geographically dispersed, and may be commonly owned or have diverse owners.
Generally, an application service implemented on each node communicates via a
communications network (e.g., the Internet) with one or more central server
systems,
which assign portions of an overall processing task(s) to one or more nodes. A
node
typically reports its progress and provides results to the server(s) via the
network, and the
server(s) compile the results. Nodes on a grid computing system are typically
heterogeneous resources which may have different platforms, hardware/software
architectures, and computer languages.
The SETI@home project, which processes data gathered by radio telescopes to
help in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, is one of the most
widely known grid
computing efforts. Other projects have been initiated to help with processing
tasks such
as protein folding, cancer research, mathematical problems and climate models.
Grid
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com.puting efforts have yielded results in efforts that may have otherwise
required
prohibitive investment or delay.
One advantage of grid computing systems is that processing tasks which are too
large for any single supercomputer may be performed, and yet the flexibility
to perform
multiple smaller processing tasks is also retained. In addition, grid
computing systems
may allow available computing power to be more efficiently exploited, and
allow the
intermittent processing demands of large tasks to be more efficiently
addressed thanby
purchasing hardware that is used only to satisfy peak needs. They may also
allow a user
to avoid capital expenditure and to pay only on an "as used" basis for
computing
resources.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Applicants have appreciated that conventional grid computing systems are
limited with respect to performing certain types of work, such as speech
recognition
processing. Accordingly, although the invention is not limited to being used
to perform
speech recognition processing, embodiments thereof improve the ability of
conventional
grid computing systems to support certain types of work, such as speech
recognition
processing. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, a computer-
implemented method is provided of performing speech recognition processing
wherein a
body of audio data is processed to recognize spoken words found in the audio
data. The
method comprises acts of: (A) dividing the body of audio data into a plurality
of
segments using a characteristic other than a time interval to determine each
segment; and
(B) processing each segment to generate a representation of words spoken in
the
segment.
In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, a computer-implemented
method is provided of performing speech recognition processing in a grid
computing
system comprising a server system in networked conununication with a plurality
of
nodes, wherein a body of audio data is processed to recognize spoken words
found in the
audio data. The method comprises acts of: (A) dividing, by the server system,
the body
of audio data into a plurality of segments using a characteristic other than a
time interval
to determine each segment; (B) creating for each of the plurality of segments
an
associated unit of work; and (C) distributing, by the server system, each unit
of work to
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one of the plurality of nodes, such that each unit of work is processed by a
node to
generate a representation of words spoken in the segment.
In accordance with yet other embodiments of the invention, a system is
provided
for performing speech recognition processing wherein a body of audio data is
processed
to recognize spoken words found in the audio data. The system comprises: (A)
an audio
processor which divides the body of audio data into a plurality of segments
using a
characteristic other than a time interval to determine each segment; and (B) a
speech,
recognizer which processes each segment and generates a representation of
words
spoken in the segment.
In accordance with still other embodiments of the invention, a system is
provided
for performing speech recognition processing in a grid computing system
comprising a
server system in networked communication with a plurality of nodes, wherein a
body of
audio data is processed to recognize spoken words found in the audio data, the
server
system: (A) dividing the body of audio data into a plurality of segments using
a
characteristic other than a time interval to determine each segment; (B)
creating for each
of the plurality of segments an associated unit of work; and (C) distributing
each unit of
work to one of the plurality of nodes, such that each unit of work is
processed by a node
to generate a representation of words spoken in the segment.
In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, a computer-readable
medium article is provided having stored thereon signals comprising
instruction which,
when executed, cause a computer system to perform speech recognition
processing
wherein a body of audio data is processed to recognize spoken words found in
the audio
data, by: (A) dividing the body of audio data into a plurality of segments
using a
characteristic otller than a time interval to determine each segment; and (B)
processing
each segment to generate a representation of words spoken in the segment.
In accordance with yet other embodiments of the invention, a computer-readable
medium article is provided having stored thereon signals comprising
instructions which,
when executed, cause a computer system to perform speech recognition
processing in a
grid computing system comprising a server system in networked communication
with a
plurality of nodes, wherein a body of audio data is processed to recognize
spoken words
found in the audio data, by: (A) dividing, by the server system, the body of
audio data
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into a plurality of segments using a characteristic other than a time interval
to determine
each segment; (B) creating for each of the plurality of segments an associated
unit of
work; and (C) distributing, by the server system, each unit of work to one of
the plurality
of nodes, such that each unit of work is processed by a node to generate a
representation
of words spoken in the segment. - -
In accordance with still other embodiments of the invention, a method is
provided
for use in a grid coinputing system comprising a server system in networked
communication with a plurality of nodes, each node having at least one node
characteristic, the server system being operable to divide a processing task
into units of
1o work and to assign each of the units of work to one of the plurality of
nodes. The -
method, performed by the server system, comprises acts of: (A) determining,
for a unit of
work, at least one node characteristic which is required to perform the unit
of work and a
subset of said nodes that possess the at least one node characteristic; (B)
notifying at
least a portion of the subset of nodes of the availability of the unit of
work; and (C)
receiving a request for the unit of work from a node in the subset of nodes;
and (D)
providing the unit of work to the node.
In accordance witli other embodiments of the invention, a server system is
provided for use in a grid computing system, the server system being in
networked
communication with a plurality of nodes, each node having at least one node
characteristic, the server system being operable to divide a processing task
into units of
work and to assign each of the units of work to one of the plurality of nodes.
The server
system is further operable to: (A) determine, for a unit of work, at least one
node
characteristic which is required to perform the unit of work and a subset of
said nodes
that possess the at least one node characteristic; (B) notify at least a
portion of the subset
of nodes of the availability of the unit of work; and (C) receive a request
for the unit of
work from a node in the subset of nodes; and (D) provide the unit of work to
the node.
In accordance with yet other embodiments of the invention, a computer-readable
medium article is provided having stored thereon signals comprising
instruction which,
when executed by a server system in a grid computing system, wherein the
server system
is in networked communication with a plurality of nodes, each node having at
least one
node characteristic, cause the server system to be operable to divide a
processing task
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into units of work and to assign each of the units of worlc to one of the
plurality of nodes,
according to a method, performed by the server system, comprising acts of: (A)
determining, for a unit of worlc, at least one node characteristic which is
required to
perform the unit of work and a subset of said nodes that possess the at least
one node
characteristic; (B) notifying at least a portion of the subset of nodes of the
availability of
the unit of work; (C) receiving a request for the unit of work from a node in
the subset of
nodes; and (D) providing the unit of worlc to the node.
In accordance with still other embodiments of the invention, a method is
provided
for use in a grid computing system comprising a server system in networked
lo communication with a plurality of nodes, the server system being operable
to divide a
processing task into units of work and to assign each of the units of work to
one of the
plurality of nodes. The method, performed by a node, comprises acts of: (A)
receiving a
first unit of work from the server system, the first unit of work requiring an
execution of
a first sequence of instructions; (B) determining whether the first sequence
of
instructions is stored on the node; (C) if it is determined that the first
sequence of
instructions is not stored on the node, retrieving the first sequence of
instructions from
the server system; (D) executing the first sequence of instructions to perform
the unit of
work.
In accordance with other embodiments of the invention, a node is provided for
use in a grid computing system comprising a server system in networked
communication
with a plurality of nodes, the server system being operable to divide a
processing task
into units of work and to assign each of the units of work to one of the
plurality of nodes.
The node is operable to: (A) receive a first unit of work from the server
system, the first
unit of work requiring an execution of a first sequence of instructions; (B)
determine
whetlier the first sequence of instructions is stored on the node; (C) if it
is determined
that the first sequence of instructions is not stored on the node, retrieve
the first sequence
of instructions from the server system; and (D) execute the first sequence of
instructions
to perform the unit of work.
In accordance with yet other embodiments of the invention, a computer-readable
medium article is provided having stored thereon signals comprising
instructions which,
when executed by a server system in a grid computing system, wherein the
server system
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is in networlced communication with a plurality of nodes, cause the server
system to be
operable to divide a processing task into units of work and to assign each of
the units of
work to one of the plurality of nodes, according to a method, performed by a
node,
comprising acts of: (A) receiving a first unit of work from the server system,
the first unit
of work requiring an execution of a first sequence of instructions; (B)
determining
whether the first sequence of instructions is stored on the node; (C) if it is
determined
that the first sequence of instructions is not stored on the node, retrieving
the first
sequence of instructions from the server system; and (D) executing the first
sequence of
instructions to perform the unit of work.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the drawings, in which each identical or nearly identical component that is
illustrated in various figures is represented by a like numeral:
FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary system configuration in which aspects of
embodiments of the invention may be implemented;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a schema for an exemplary database in
which
information relating to processing tasks may be stored, in accordance with
some
embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a flow diagram depicting a process by means of which a server may
notify one or more nodes of the availability of work, in accordance with some
2o embodiments of the invention;
FIGS. 4A and 4B depict exemplary arrangements of information created in
support of the process described with reference to FIG. 3, in accordance with
some
embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting exemplary components which may be
implemented on a server system, in accordance with some embodiments of the
invention;
FIG. 6A is a depiction of a user interface screen by means of which processing
tasks on a grid computing system may be monitored, according to some
embodiments of
the invention;
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FIG. 6B is a depiction of a user interface screen by means of which units of
worlc
on a grid computing system may be monitored, according to some embodiments of
the
invention;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary technique for concurrently
processing heterogeneous units of work on a node, in accordance with some
embodiments of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram depicting another example of a technique for
concurreintly processing heterogeneous units of work on a node, in accordance
with some
embodiments of the invention; and
FIG. 9 is a flow diagram depicting one example of a process performed by a
node
to dynamically acquire a handler used to perform a unit of work, in accordance
with
some embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Applicants have appreciated that while conventional grid computing systems can
be useful in completing large-scale processing tasks, they have limitations in
terms of the
types of work that the system is capable of performing. These limitations can
curb the
effectiveness of conventional grid computing systems in certain contexts, such
as speech
recognition processing. Accordingly, although the invention is not limited to
being used
to perform speech recognition processing, various embodiments of the invention
provide
features that improve the ability of grid computing systems to support speech
recognition
processing.
One key limitation of conventional grid computing systems relates to the types
of
processing that nodes are capable of performing. Specifically, in such
conventional
systems, each node is capable of processing only a single set of encoded
instructions to
perform a unit of work at a time.. While such a conventional node may acquire
different
sets of encoded instructions over time and execute them to perform different
types of
work, such a node is not rendered capable of processing heterogeneous types of
work in
an overlapping time frame (or, for lack of a better term, concurrently). (The
term
"heterogeneous" is used herein to refer to processing tasks or units of work
which are
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dissimilar or diverse in that they are performed by executing different sets
of encoded
instructions. Conversely, the term "homogeneous" is used to refer to
processing tasks or
units of work that are performed by executing the same set of encoded
instructions. The
term "set of instructions" is used herein to refer to any collection or body
of related
encoded instructions, such as a program, module, procedure, application, or
other body,
or portion thereof.)
In contrast with these conventional arrangements, embodiments of the invention
provide a system wherein each node possesses the capability to concurrently
perform
heterogeneous units of work, such that a node may execute a first set of
encoded
instructions to process a first unit of work while also, in overlapping times
or at another
time, performing a second unit of work, heterogeneous with respect to the
first unit of
work, by executing a second set of instructions. This may be accomplished
using any of
numerous techniques. In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, a
node is
capable of implementing a plurality of application domains and isolating the
execution of
each of a plurality of bodies of instructions (hereinafter referred to as
"handlers") in a
separate application domain to perform a particular unit of work. For example,
a node
may perform a first unit of work by executing a first handler in a first
application domain
and a second unit of work by executing a second handler in a second
application domain.
The node may create a processing thread for each handler and execute the
processing
threads concurrently, thereby concurrently performing heterogeneous units of
work. In
accordance with other embodiments of the invention, application domains may
not be
employed. For example, a node may create a processing thread for each of a
plurality of
handlers and execute the threads without employing application domains.
In some embodiments, each node is in network-based communication with a
server system (which may comprise one or more physical computers) that assigns
uilits
of work to the node. The server system receives work from one or more client
applications which are also in network-based communication with the server
system.
Each client application may communicate with the server system by means of an
application programming interface (API) which allows the client application to
provide
work to the server. Work is provided in the form of a processing task, which
the server
system then divides into one or more units of work for distribution to one or
more nodes
on the grid.
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In some embodiments, a client application may specify a "run model" for a
particular processing task which defines, among other infoimation,
characteristics that a
node should possess in order to be assigned a unit of work from the task. For
example,
the run model for a task may specify that in order to be assigned a unit of
work, a node
should possess certain processing capabilities and/or physical
characteristics. For
example, a run model may specify that a node must be capable of dedicating at
least
twenty percent of its total processing capacity to a unit of work or possess
at least a
minimum stated amount of random access memory (RAM) or a processor having a
certain capability, such as speed. Any suitable characteristics and/or
capabilities, for a
node or otherwise, may be specified in a run model.
In some embodiments, the handler(s) executed to perform units of work in a
processing task is(are) provided by the client npplication to the server
system when the
task is provided by the client application to the server system. For example,
a particular
task may comprise multiple heterogeneous units of work, and a handler for each
unit of
work may be provided by the client application to the server system for each
unit of
work. The server, system may, for example, transmit the handler to a node
along with the
unit- of work. If this proves inefficient, a node, at the time a unit of work
is assigned to it,
may determine whether it is already equipped with the correct handler(s) for
performing
the unit of work, and if not, the node may retrieve the required handler(s)
(e.g., from the
server system).
Some embodiments provide a system having the capability to segment audio data
that forms the input to a speech recognition process prior to distribution to
nodes on the
grid. For example, pre-processing may be performed to divide audio input into
a number
of segments, preferably including creating a mathematical representation of
each
segment, to reduce the amount of data distributed to the grid and conserve
network
bandwidth. Preferably, audio input may be broken into segments based on
natural
speech boundaries rather than time boundaries, which can produce more accurate
recognition results and help a speech recognition program detect sentence
structure to
facilitate more accurate recognition of some words.
In some embodiments, the system may optimize speech recognition processing
by intelligently selecting nodes to perform particular units of work in a
speech
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recognition processing task. For example, the server system may store
information
indicating the handlers with which certain nodes are equipped, the physical or
logical
characteristics of some or all nodes, and/or other information. Using this
information
and/or information provided by client applications relating to the processing
task (e.g., a
run model), the server system may distribute units of work involved in the
processing
task to node having the capability to process the units of work most
efficiently.
FIG. 1 depicts one example of a system configuration 100 in which aspects of
the
invention may be implemented. In certain implementations, system 100 may be
employed to perform speech recognition processing, and much of the description
1o provided below relates thereto. However, it should be appreciated that
system 100 may
be employed for any of numerous uses, and embodiments of the invention may be
implemented in any of numerous ways. The invention is not limited in this
respect.
In general, system 100 includes a plurality of client applications 110A-1 IOn,
each
of which are capable of providing, via a respective API 112A-112n, one or more
processing tasks to injection server 120. Injection server 120 divides each
processing
task received from client applications 110A-110n into one or more units of
work, and
provides the units of work to distribution server 130, which accesses
information stored
in electronic file storage (EFS) 135 in communicating with, and distributing
work to, one
or more nodes 140A-140n. Administration interface 150 enables users to access
information stored in electronic file storage 135 or to add information
thereto, such as to
update the information, thereby indirectly changing the manner in which the
distribution
server assigns work to nodes 140A-140n.
An API 112 provides an interface by means of which a respective client
application 110 may supply a processing task to the grid for completion. In
some
embodiments, a client application may specify a run model for a processing
task which
includes any suitable characteristic(s), from among a predetermined set of
available
characteristics, for a processing task and/or one or more nodes that process
the unit(s) of
work constituting the processing task. For example, a run model may specify
that a node
to be assigned a unit of work should be capable of processing at a minimum
speed,
possess a certain amount of storage capacity and/or memory and/or have a
certain
percentage of its processing capacity available to support that unit of work.
A run model
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may also specify an initial priority for a processing task relative to other
work in progress
on the grid. Further, a run model may specify one or more rules for handling
error
conditions, such as failure by a node or an occurrence of a data exception.
Prior to dividing up a processing task, injection server 120 preferably
ensures that
it came from an authorized client so that only authorized work is supplied to
the grid.
For example, server 120 may compare an address (e.g., an internet protocol
(IP) address)
or other identifier for a client application attempting to inject a processing
task into the
queue with a list of addresses and/or other identifiers for clients authorized
to do so. If a
client's IP address is on the list, then the server may further request that
the client supply
a password which the server may verify before giving the client authorization
to inject a
processing task into the queue. Other security features may be substituted or
added, as
considered appropriate.
A processing task received by injection server 120 from a client application
110
may be divided into one or more units of work in any suitable fashion. As an
example,
injection server 120 may execute programmed instructions to divide data which
is to be
processed as part of a particular task into a number of portions, and each
portion may
become the subject of a unit of work. For example, in an implementation
wherein
speech recognition processing is performed, server 120 may divide audio data
that
comprises input to a speech recognition processing task into a plurality of
segments prior
to distribution of the segments to nodes on the grid.
Dividing audio data into segments may be performed in any of numerous ways.
In some embodiments, an audio file can be divided into segments based upon
natural
speech boundaries, such as speaker turn (i.e., when one person engaged in a
conversation
stops speaking and another starts), the presence of a period of silence of
predetermined
length, speaker stress and/or a change in tempo. Dividing audio data in this
manner is in
contrast with conventional techniques, whereby audio is divided based on time
boundaries, such as a fixed time period (e.g., thirty seconds of data).
Segmentation of audio data based on natural speech boundaries can achieve
three
important goals. First, it can minimize the processing required for a given
quantity of
audio data, by eliminating the need to process non-speech audio data. For
example, a
normal recorded conversation can contain up to thirty-five percent silence, so
the
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removal of silence from a recorded conversation can significantly decrease the
amount of
processing required.
Second, removing silence can reduce the possibility of a falsely identified
word.
For example, background noise such as keyboard clicks and breathing can
sometimes be
falsely identified by a speech recognition program as a spoken word. As a
result,
removing silence can produce more accurate speech recognition results.
Third, segmentation based on natural speech boundaries rather than time
boundaries can help a speech recognition program detect sentence structure,
which can
help the program recognize certain words. For example, many speech recognition
lo programs employ language models which specify words that naturally precede
or follow
other words, as well as words which begin or end segments of speech. For
example, for
a speech sample containing the words, "How may I help you I need to ask
about..", a
language model may specify that this includes two discrete segments -
specifically,
"How may I help you" and "I need to ask about..." - by recognizing that the
words "you"
and "I" are rarely spoken sequentially in a sentence in the English language,
thus helping
a speech recognition program correctly determine the words spoken in the
sample. In
contrast, when audio data is segmented according to time boundaries, a
language model
can be difficult to employ, as there may be unnatural speech breaks resulting
from
starting or stopping a segment at an arbitrary point. As a result, segmenting
based on
2o natural speech boundaries can improve the overall accuracy of speech
recognition.
Injection server 120 may also process each segment to create a representation
thereof for transmission and processing in place of the original segment, so
as to
minimize the amount of data distributed to the nodes on the grid and conserve
network
bandwidth. In some embodiments, a mathematical representation for each
segment, such
as a cepstrum, is created. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a
cepstrum results
from taking the Fourier transform of the decibel spectrum in a segment. In
some
embodiments, the decimal ranges in a cepstrum may be represented as a series
of eight-
or sixteen-bit fields, which may further reduce the amount of data in a
segment.
To illustrate the usefulness of these features, it should be appreciated that
an
audio file representing a five-minute telephone call typically comprises about
five
megabytes of data, and that even a small call center may have hundreds of
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representatives performing telephone calls all day, every day. Thus, the
amount of data
typically generated by a call center can be substantial, such that minimizing
the network
bandwidth required to transport it (and processing to recognize and analyze
it) may be
very beneficial.
Upon dividing a processing task into one or more units of work, injection
server 120 provides the units of work, as well as information on the
processing task, to
distribution server 130, which assigns work to one or more nodes 140.
Distribution
server 130 maintains the information provided by injection server 120, as well
as
information provided by all nodes 140 on the system, in electronic file
storage 135
(which may comprise any suitable storage facility, including memory such as
RAM), and
employs this information in assigning units of work to one or more nodes 140.
This
information is described in-further detail below with reference to FIG. 2.
Distribution server 130 communicates with each node 140 via one or more
networks. Coinmunication may be performed according to any suitable
communications
protocol, such as via transmission control protocol (TCP) sockets or another
protocol,
and may be encrypted, such as via the MD5 encryption algorithm or another
encryption
algorithm. Communication may be accomplished using any suitable components
and/or
infrastructure.
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, each node 140 includes a component 145 which
facilitates communication with distribution server 130. In embodiinents
wherein node
140 is a computer executing a Microsoft Windows -family operating system
offered by
Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, WA, component 145 may be implemented as a
Windows service, which is an implementation technique well-known to those
skilled in
software engineering. In general, a Windows service is an executable program
built
into the operating system that may be configured to perform any number of
tasks, such as
communicating with an external entity (e.g., distribution server 130), upon
the
occurrence of a predetermined event. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 1,
component 145 is configured to start when the operating system on its
associated node
140 initiates (e.g., when the computer constituting node 140 is started),
access a
configuration file maintained in memory on such node 140 that specifies the
network
address (e.g., IP address) of distribution server 130, and send a message to
distribution
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server 130 indicating that node 140 is available to be assigned work. In some
embodiments, upon receiving such a registration message from node 140,
distribution
server 130 sends an acknowledgement message to node 140.
Implementation of component 145 as a Windows0 service may offer advantages
over other implementations, such as those wherein componerit 145 comprises a
screen
saver or another type of application executing on node 140. For example, when
implemented as a Windows service, component 145 may take greater advantage of
idle
time during times when node 140 is not being used than will a screen saver
application.
While a screen saver typically is configured to start after a prolonged period
of node idle
time, a Windows0 service may be configured to start after a much shorter
period, such
as thirty seconds of idle time (or less), and thus can provide more processing
capacity to
the grid.
Despite this advantage, it should be appreciated that component 145 need not
be
implemented as a Windows0 service, and may take any suitable form. Indeed,
node 140
may execute any suitable operating system, and is not limited to a Windows0-
family
operating system. Embodiments of the invention are not limited to
iinplementation via
any particular platform(s) or conzponent(s).
In some embodiments, when component 145 sends a message to distribution
server 130, it communicates information describing the current status and
characteristics
of the node 140 on which the component 145 resides. This information may
include, for
example, indications of the node's current CPU type and/or speed, free memory,
free
disk space, operating system, total disk space, total memory, CPU load, and/or
other
information. In some embodiments, an updated version of this information may
be sent
wlienever node 140 sends a message to distribution server 130, such as when
the node
140 registers its availability for work, when distribution server 130
acknowledges the
node's registration, and/or when the distribution server 130 and node 140
communicate
during the active processing of work. The information provided by node 140 may
be
stored by distribution server 130 in electronic file storage 135, along with
the
information provided by injection server 120 (described above) that relates to
processing
tasks and units of work. In some embodiments, distribution server 130 employs
the
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information stored in electronic file storage 135 to manage the assignment of
work to
nodes 140.
Electronic file storage 135 may include, for example, a database or any other
suitable mechanism(s) for storing this information. A simplified schema, or
data
structure, for an exanlple of a relational database for storing the
information is shown in
FIG. 2. The schema of FIG. 2 includes representations of several related
tables (210-
250) which store information on nodes, processing tasks, units of work, or a
combination
thereof. Each of these tables is described below with reference to the source
of the
information stored therein. As with most relational databases, the tables in
the schema of
FIG. 2 share common data elements, stored in table columns, whose consistency
(i.e.,
relational integrity) is maintained through the use of foreign keys.
Task table 210 stores informatiori related to processing tasks. The
information
stored in table 210 is provided initially by injection server 120, and updated
as the
considered task is performed by nodes on the grid. Task table 210 includes a
plurality of
fields (e.g., columns) which respectively store an indication of a task name,
stated owner
(e.g., a client application 110), date and time of injection, number of units
of work
included and exception handling rule, all of which is supplied by injection
server 120.
Task table 210 also includes a field (e.g., column) storing a status indicator
which
specifies the current status of the task. This information is derived based on
information
provided by nodes while the task is being processed.
Unit of work table 220 stores information related to units of work. As with
task
table 210, the information stored in unit of work table 220 is provided
initially by
injection server 120 and updated as the considered unit of work is performed
by a node
on the grid. Unit of work table 220 includes a plurality of fields which
respectively store
an indication of an identifier for the unit of work, the processing task with
which it is
associated (having a foreign key 261 to the task identifier stored in task
table 210), date
and time of injection, required handler, priority, minimum node physical
memory
required for processing, free node memory required for processing, and disk
space
required, all of which is supplied by injection server 120. Unit of work table
220 also
includes fields which each store an assigned node identifier and status
indicator which
specifies the current status of the unit of work. The node identifier is
assigned by
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distribution server 130 when the node registers its availability for work. The
status
information is-provided by the node to which the unit of work is assigned.
Node infonnation table 230 stores information relating to nodes on the grid.
Node information table 230 includes a plurality of fields which respectively
store
information such as, for example, an indication of the node identifier, its IP
address, free
disk space, disk size, total physical memory, free memory, the date and tinie
information
on the node was last updated, installed version of component 145, operating
system and
processing capacity (e.g., expressed in terms of megaflops). The information
stored in
this table is provided or updated by individual nodes as those nodes
communicate with
distribution server 130.
Node - unit of work status table 240 stores information relating to the status
of
individual units of work being processed by nodes. The information stored in
this table
is provided by individual nodes as those nodes perform units of work. Node -
unit of
work table 240 may include a plurality of fields which respectively store an
indication of
a unit of work identifier (having a foreign key 269 to the unit of work
identifier stored in
unit of work table 220), node identifier (having a foreign key 271 to the node
identifier
stored in node information table 230), percent complete (e.g., specified by
the node
performing the unit of work), and the date and time that the status
information was last
updated.
Completed units of work table 250 stores information relating to units of work
that have been successfully performed by nodes on the grid. The table may
include a
plurality of fields which respectively store an indication of a unit of work
identifier
(having a foreign key 265 to the unit of work identifier stored in unit of
work table 220),
task identifier (having a foreign key 263 to the task identifier stored in
task table 210),
date and time started, date and time completed and node identifier.
Distribution server 130 accesses and updates the information stored in
electronic
file storage 135 (e.g., the database represented in FIG. 2) in assigning work
to nodes and
tracking the completion of that work. An example of a process executed by
distribution
server 130 to assign units of work to nodes is described below with reference
to FIGS. 3
and 4A-4B.
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At the start of process 300 (FIG. 3), units of work which are ready for
distribution
on the grid are received at distribution server 130 in act. 310. These may be
provided, for
example, by injection server 120, and an indication thereof may be loaded by
distribution
server 130 into unit of work table 220. For the purpose of this example,
assume that
three units of work have been injected and that injection server 120 has
specified that
each unit of work requires 200 megabytes (MB) of free memory.
Distribution server 130 may then broadcast the availability of the units of
work to
one or more nodes in act 315. In some embodiments, the availability of work is
broadcast only to those nodes which distribution server 130 determines to have
the
lo capacity to perform the work, so as to minimize network traffic. This
determination may
be made, for exaniple, by applying an algorithm (e.g., embodied in a set of
encoded
instructions) which takes into account one or more node characteristics (e.g.,
deterinined
by accessing node information table 230) to determine those which have the
capacity to
perform the work.
In the example described below, distribution server 130 determines the nodes
that
should receive the broadcast by identifying the nodes which have a sufficient
amount of
free memory - in this case, 200 MB or more of free memory.
To determine the nodes having a sufficient amount of free memory, distribution
server 130 may query node information table 230 to construct table 410A shown
in FIG.
4A. Table 410A contains a sorted list of the twelve nodes that have registered
their
availability for work to distribution server 130. More specifically, table
410A contains a
list which is sorted according to the amount of free memory on each registered
node,
shown in column 411A. As can be seen in table 410A, five nodes (140A-140E)
each
have more than 200 MB of free memory.
Distribution server 130 may broadcast to any or all of nodes 140A-140E, and
may apply any algorithm or criteria in selecting which nodes receive the
broadcast. For
example, distribution server 130 may broadcast to all of nodes 140A-140E and
assign the
work to those nodes which respond with a request for the work most quickly.
Alternatively, distribution server 130 may broadcast to the three nodes (140A-
140C)
having the most free memory available, and if any one or more of these nodes
do(es) not
respond to the broadcast, the distribution server may continue down the list.
Any
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suitable algorithm or criteria may be employed to determine which nodes
receive the
broadcast, as the invention is not limited to any particular implementation.
In this
example, assume that distribution server 130 broadcasts to each of nodes 140A-
140E in
act 315.
In act 320, the selected nodes receive the broadcast. The broadcast message
may
indicate the work's availability and the amount of free memory required to
perform it.
In act 325; each node receiving the broadcast determines whether it has the
amount of free memory that is required to perform the work. For example,
component
145 (FIG. 1) may determine whether sufficient memory is available on the node.
The
node may not have sufficient memory, for example, because it has begun new
processing
since it last communicated its free memory to distribution server 130 (i.e.
the indication
stored in node information table 230 may be outdated). If the node is not
capable of
handling the work, it does not respond to distribution server 130. If the node
is capable
of handling the work, the process proceeds to act 330, wherein the node
requests a unit of
work.
In act 335, distribution server 130 receives the node's request, and in act
340 it
determines whether work is available. Work may not be available, for example,
because
the node requesting the work is not one of the first three to respond to the
broadcast sent
in act 315, such that the work has already been assigned. If it is determined
in act 340
that the work is not available, the server does not respond to the node, and
may, for
exainple, return to act 310.
If it is determined in act 340 that the work is available, distribution server
130
provides the work to the node in act 345.
It should be appreciated that although work is distributed in this example
based
on the order in which requests for work are received at the distribution
server, work need
not be distributed in this manner. Any suitable algorithm or criteria may be
employed to
determine which of the nodes that respond to the broadcast receive the work.
For
example, the distribution server may wait to see which of the nodes responds
to the
broadcast within a predetermined period, and then select which of the
responding nodes
receives the work by applying an algorithm or one or more selection criteria.
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Referring again to this example, when each of the three units of worlc have
been
distributed to nodes, distribution server 130 updates the information stored
in table 41 OA
shown in FIG. 4A to produce table 410B shown in FIG. 4B. For the sake of this
example, assuine that nodes 140A-140C responded first to the broadcast and
were
assigned the three units of work. As a result, the information in table 410B
reflects that
each of nodes 140A-140C has 200MB less memory free than that which is shown in
table 410A, such that the list of nodes is ordered differently. As a result,
when more
units of work are provided to distribution server 130 by injection server 120,
and the
preceding steps in process 300 are re-executed to determine the nodes to which
a
broadcast indicating the availability of work should be sent, different nodes
will receive
the broadcast. For example, if three more units of work requiring 200MB of
free
memory become available, only nodes 140D and 140E will receive the broadcast,
at least
immediately. Distribution server 130 may then wait until another node sends a
message
in which it indicates that it has at least 200MB of free memory, and then send
a broadcast
to that node, as well, indicating the availability of the unit of work.
Referring again to FIG. 3, in act 350 the node processes the unit of work,
then
reports its completion to distribution server in act 355 (e.g., in a message
which also
communicates the node's current status and characteristics, so that this
information may
be loaded to node information table 230). Distribution server 130 records the
completion
of the unit of work in act 360 (e.g., by updating information stored in unit
of work table
220, task table 210 and/or completed units of work table 250). These acts are
described
in flirther detail below.
Upon the completion of act 360, process 300 completes.
It should be appreciated that the method described above for selecting nodes
that
receive units of work is merely exemplary, and that numerous other techniques
may be
performed to optimize grid processing by intelligently selecting nodes for
performing
units of work. For example, distribution server 130 may select nodes based on
the
handler(s) installed thereon, processing and/or memory capabilities, other
physical or
logical characteristics, or a combination thereof. As an example, the process
described
above with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4A-4B could be modified so that
distribution server
130 selects the nodes that will receive the broadcast of the availability of
units of work
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based on several factors, such as the amount of free memory on each node and
the
presence of a handler on each node which is required to perform the units of
work.
Distribution server 130 may distribute work to nodes based on any suitable
algorithm, which algorithm may take into account any of numerous factors or
combinations thereof. As an example, if a task requires relatively little
processing
capacity and all nodes are already operating at full capacity, and only a few
nodes have
the required handler application installed, then the server may wait until
those nodes
have capacity and then assign the work to them. Conversely, if distribution
server 130
determines that the nodes with the handler application installed are operating
at full
capacity and others without it are idle, then the server may assign the work
to the idle
nodes, such that those nodes will be required to acquire and install the
handler .
application before processing can begin. Any suitable algorithm may be
employed by
the server for determining node capabilities (e.g., memory, processor type and
speed,
processor load level, etc.) and for correspondingly distributing work. As
such, the
invention is not limited to a specific algorithm. Suitable algorithms can
readily be
devised and implemented from this description by those skilled in the computer
processing and/or networking arts.
Units of work may also be distributed based upon the amount of input data
involved in a particular unit of work or task. For example, if the amount of
input for
each unit of work in a task is substantial, the server may determine (e.g.,
based on one or
more algorithms) that the units of work would be most efficiently processed if
distributed
to a large number of nodes so that each performs a single unit of work.
However, if the
input data for each unit of work is small (e.g., below a certain threshold),
the server may
assign all of the units of work to a single node, especially if that node is
idle and all
others are busy processing other work. Of course, it is a matter of design as
to how tasks
are labeled or analyzed as to the amount of data involved, memory needed,
priority,
processor load to be generated, and so forth; and as to how the work is
distributed in
response to analyzing such information. Processing may be performed in any
suitable
fasliion, as the invention is not limited in this respect.
FIG. 5 depicts modules that may be implemented (e.g., via software) on
distribution server 130 for the management of communication with nodes 140 on
the
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grid. These modules include node manager module 510, housekeeper module 520,
node
metrics module 530 and distributed transaction coordinator 540. In other
implementations, one or more of these modules may not be required, modules may
be
combined, or other modules may be substituted. The funetion of each module is
described below witliout regard to a specific implementation, as those skilled
in the art
will be able to create appropriate software code from a functional
description.
Node manager module 510 receives and manages information received from
nodes on the grid. As described above, this information may provide an
indication of
various node characteristics, such as its processing capacity, free memory,
free disk
space, and/or other node characteristics that will be useful in assessing what
tasks, if any,
may be assigned to the node. Upon receiving information from one or more nodes
140,
node manager module 210 may cause any or all of the information to be stored
in
electronic file storage 135, such as in node information table 230 shown in
FIG. 2.
Housekeeper module 520 monitors whether information is received from each
node. For example, in some embodiments if iiiformation is not received from a
certain
node 140 within a defined period (e.g., as defined by information stored in
the "date and
time last updated" coluinn in node information table 230), housekeeper 520 may
cancel
and reassign units of work in process on that node. For example, housekeeper
520 may
update information stored in unit of work table 220 to reflect that the
considered node is
no longer assigned to a unit of work, and if the node thereafter resumes
communication
with the server, housekeeper 520 may issue an instruction to cancel the work
in process.
Distributed transaction coordinator module 530 enables a user to employ
administration interface 130 (FIG. 1) to gather information on units of work
in process
on the grid and/or change the manner in which those units of work are assigned
or
completed. For example, a user may employ administration interface 130 to view
a
representation of ongoing processing on the grid, and administration interface
130 may
accept input from the user to change the manner in which that processing
occurs. FIGS.
6A and 6B depict two alternative examples of screen embodiments of
administration
interface 130. Specifically, FIG. 6A depicts interface screen 600 and FIG. 6B
depicts
interface screen 650, which share common elements but also present slightly
different
information to a user. Interface screens 600 and 650 present information
stored in
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electronic file storage 135 (e.g., in a database characterized by the schema
shown in FIG.
2).
Interface screen 600 allows a user to view ongoing tasks, and change a
priority
which is assigned to selected tasks by injection server 120. Interface screen
600 includes
portion 640, which shows a summary of work occurring on the grid, including
the
number of tasks and units of work in progress, the number of nodes, and the
total
processing capacity by the nodes. Portion 602 presents information on
individual tasks
in tabular form. Table entries 620 and 622 each contain information arranged,
in this
example, in columns 604 ("Task ID"), 606 ("Task Name"), 608 ("Task Injected"),
610
lo ("Priority"), 612 ("% Complete"), 614 ("Task Status"), 616 ("Task Owner")
and 618
("Units Of Work Required").
Using interface 6A, a user may select a particular table entry in portion 602
and
modify the mamler in which the task is performed. For example, a user may
highlight
and right-click table entry 622 as shown, and provide input relating to the
task in this
entry. Input options are represented by items 626 ("Place Tasks On Hold"), 628
("Change Task Priority"), 630 ("Change Node Group.Assignment") and 632
("Delete
Task"). In the example shown, a user has selected list item 628, causing
dialog box 634,
allowing the user to change the priority of the selected task, to appear. The
user may
change the priority by providing input (e.g., via keyboard or mouse) to box
636.
Interface 600 includes tabs 638 ("Tasks"), 640 ("Pending Units of Work"), 642
("Server Log Monitor") and 644 ("Test Work"). Tab 638 visually indicates that
a user
has selected it so as to view information relating to tasks.
By selecting tab 640, a user may view inforination on units of work, as shown
in
interface screen 650 in FIG. 6B. This information is also shown in tabular
form. Data
on each table entry 653 is contained in columns 654 ("Unit Of Worlc ID"), 656
("Task
ID"), 658 ("Task Name"), 660 ("Handler"), 662 ("Injected"), 664
("Priority"),'666
("Status") and 668 ("Target Node"). Although not shown in screen 650, a user
may
provide input relating to any of the units of work shown in the table. For
example, in a
manner similar to that described above with reference to FIG. 6A, a user may
select a
table entry corresponding to a unit of work, right-click on the entry to
expose a number
of input options, and select one of the options to provide input. For example,
a user may
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provide input to change the priority of a particular unit of work. Any
suitable input may
be provided to modify any characteristic of a unit of work, as the invention
is not limited
in this respect.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate examples of processing techniques which may be
employed on a node 140 to concurrently perform multiple units of work. As
described
above, a node may be capable of concurrently executing each of a plurality of
handlers in
a different application domain, or performing such processing without
employing
application domains. FIG. 7 depicts a processing technique which uses
application
domains, and FIG. 8 depicts a technique wherein application domains are not
employed.
At a high level, the technique shown in FIG. 7 involves grid processor module
750 receiving one or more units of work from distribution server 130, and
employing
unit of work manager 705 (e.g., 705A) to communicate with an execution engine
715
(e.g., 715A) in an application domain 710 (e.g., 710A). Processing of a unit
of work
occurs via the execution of a handler 717 (e.g., 717A) in the application
domain 710.
Processing in one application domain 710 occurs independently of, and
segregated from,
processing in other application domains 710. A body of instructions executed
in an
application domain may be prevented from accessing data, code librarie"s or
other
resources. This type of segregation may be useful, for example, where the
behavior of an
application or the outcome of its execution is unknown. For example, it may be
useful to
employ application domains when code provided by an unfamiliar party is used,
so as to
ensure that the code's execution does not result in a corruption of data used
by other
applications.
Those skilled in the art of software engineering will recognize that using
application domains involves employing conventional techniques. In general,
application domains offer an alternative to previous techniques wherein
applications
were each loaded to separate processes, imposing performance overhead in the
form of
cross-process calls and process switching. Using application domains, the
execution of
each application may be isolated such that an application is not able to
access data and
resources allocated to another application, a failure of one application does
not affect the
execution of otliers, and one application may be stopped without stopping
other
applications.
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In accordance with some embodiments, the assignment of a unit of work involves
a transmission by distribution server 130 to node 140, and more particularly
to grid
processor 750, of various information related to the unit of work.
Specifically, the
information may include the input data for the unit of work, and an indication
of the
handler that is required to perform the unit of work. Upon receiving this
information,
grid processor 750 determines whether the required handler exists on the node,
and if so,
it establishes an application domain 710 to process the unit of work using
that handler. If
grid processor 750 determines that the required handler does not exist on the
node, it
requests the required handler from distribution server 130. Upon receiving the
handler,
1o grid processor 750 establishes a new application domain, such as by
employing
conventional techniques, and causes the handler to be loaded to that
application domain
so that the unit of work may be performed therein.
In some embodiments, processing in each application domain may be performed
using processing threads. Those skilled in the art of software engineering
will recognize
that employing processing threads also involves conventional techniques. In
general, a
processing thread involves processing multiple streams (i.e., threads) of
programmed
-instructions (e.g., those being executed in each application domain) in
parallel, such that
multiple threads are being processed concurrently. In a threaded operation,
the operating
system (usually a multi-tasking operating system) switches between
instructions in the
threads to keep all threads in process. Of course, threading nlay be
unnecessary. In a
multi-processor or multi-core situation, of course, a unit of work may be
assigned to a
processor or core (to the exclusion of other units of work) and true parallel
multi-tasking
may be achieved.
In some embodiments, upon receiving a unit of work from the distribution
server
and identifying or establishing an application domain as appropriate, grid
processor 750
creates a processing thread and causes responsibility for the thread to be
assumed by an
execution engine 715 (e.g., 715A) in an application domain (e.g., 710A).
Execution
engine 715 then begins a new thread, in which processing prerequisites for the
unit of
work are satisfied. For example, code which may be required to perform the
unit of
work, such as modules 722A-728A shown in FIG. 7 or input data which is the
subject of
the unit of work, may be loaded into the application domain 710. After
processing
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prerequisites are satisfied, execution engine 715 causes the programmed
instructions
which constitute the handler 717A to be executed within the thread.
Any or all of modules 722-728 iri an application domain 710 may be called to
provide information related to the execution of the unit of work to
distribution server
130. Specifically, module 722 is called to report the completion of the unit
of work,
module 724 is called when a processing exception (e.g., an abnormal
termination or
unexpected data condition) occurs, module 726 generates information on the
node's
progress in completing the unit of work, and module 728 is called to generate
log
information which may be stored in electronic file storage 135 (e.g., in
completed unit of
work table 250). These modules may be called, for example, by programmed
instructions in handler 717.
In some embodiments, if module 724 is called to report a processing exception,
upon receiving the notification generated thereby, distribution server 130 may
reassign
the unit of work to another node. For example, distribution server 130 may
update unit
of work table 220 to remove an indication of an assignment of the unit of work
to the
considered node, and perform the processes described above with reference to,
FIGS. 3
and 4A-4B to reassign the unit of work to another node.
In some embodiments, when a unit of work completes, the appropriate execution
engine 715 (for the application domain in which the unit of work was executed)
sends a
notification via unit of work manager 705 and grid processor 750 to
distribution server
130.
The processing technique illustrated in FIG. 8 is similar to that which is
shown in
FIG. 7, except that application domains are not employed. In this example,
processing
threads are employed, such that each handler is executed in a separate thread,
but
application domains are not employed. Because of this, handlers executed in
different
threads may share data, code libraries and/or other resources, if desired.
In the exaniple shown, when a unit of work is received from distribution
server
130, and the appropriate handler is either determined to reside on the node or
is acquired
from distribution server 130, grid processor module 850 instructs unit of work
manager
805 to create a new processing thread 810 (e.g., 810A) in which the handler
will be
executed. More specifically, unit of work manager 805 creates objects
representing
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instances of handler 817 (e.g., 817A) and modules 822-828 (e.g., 822A-828A),
and
causes instructions in these, instances to be executed within the thread. As
the
instructions are executed within the thread, the unit of work is performed,
and
information relating to its performance may be provided to distribution server
130 in a
manner similar to that which is described with reference to FIG. 7.
As shown in FIG. 8, multiple processing threads 810 (e.g., 810A and 81 OB) may
execute concurrently on node 140. As described above, the operating system on
the node
may switch between instructions in threads 810A and 810B to keep both threads
in
process. Although only two threads 810 are shown in FIG. 8, any suitable
nunlber of
threads may be in process at one time, as the invention is not limited in this
respect. In
some embodiments, when the processing in a thread completes, unit of work
manager
805 sends notification via grid processor module 750 to distribution server
130.
Because the technique shown in FIG. 8 involves creating an instance of a
handler
to execute within a particular thread, and because threaded processes (unlike
those
executing in application domains) may share data, code libraries and/or other
resources,
the processing technique shown in FIG. 8 may allow not only for concurrent
execution of
heterogeneous units of work, but also concurrent execution of homogeneous
units of
work. For example, a first instance of a given handler may be executed within
thread
810A, a second instance of the same handler may be executed within thread
810B, and
each may access an instance of the same code library during execution: In
contrast,
when application domains are employed to concurrently perform units of work,
because
handlers in different application domains may not be capable of sharing code,
two
instances of the sanie handler may not be capable of executing in separate
application
domains at the same time, and so units of work performed concurrently may be
required
to be heterogeneous. Thus, the processing technique shown in FIG. 8 may be
useful
where homogeneous units of work are to be concurrently performed. Of course,
other
processing techniques which allow for concurrent processing of homogeneous
units of
work may alternatively be employed, as the invention is not limited to any
particular
implementation.
As described above, embodiments of the invention may improve the ability of
grid computing systems to perform speech recognition processing. Accordingly,
the
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performance a unit of work by a node may involve processing a segment of audio
data to
generate a representation of words spoken in the segment, such as by executing
a handler
(e.g., handler 717 or 817) designed for such processing. Speech recognition
processing
may be performed in any suitable fashion, as the invention is not limited to
any particular
implementation. One example of a technique is described in commonly assigned
U.S.
Patent Application Serial No. 10/672,767, entitled "Software for Statistical
Analysis of
Speech," which is incorporated herein by reference.
It should be appreciated that the embodiments described with reference to
FIGS.
7 and 8 are merely illustrative, and that other embodiments may be implemented
in any
of numerous ways. For example, processing on a node need not be threaded, and
application domains need not be employed. In embodiments wherein a node is
capable
of concurrently processing multiple units of work, any suitable technique may
be
employed to concurrently execute applications or other bodies of instructions.
It should be appreciated that providing the capability for nodes on the grid
to
concurrently execute multiple units of work provides many advantages, several
of which
allow the system to provide improved speech recognition processing. For
example,
different units of work executed concurrently on a given node may involve the
execution
of different handlers, such as different versions of the same speech
recognition program.
For example, each speech recognition program may be designed for a different
language
(e.g., one for English, another for Spanish). Alternatively, different
handlers may
comprise different program types (e.g., one may be a speech recognition
program, and
another may be an audio pre-processing program). In certain embodiments, the
amount
of parallelization is controlled by the amount and type of available resources
on the
machine, such as the number of CPU's. However, in certain embodiments,
multiple
tasks may be started on a machine having a single CPU to take advantage of
resource
bottlenecks or wait-states for one task (e.g., loading a language model to
disk).
As described above, at the time a unit of work is assigned to a node, the node
may determine whether the appropriate handler for performing the unit of work
resides
on the node, and if it does not, the node may dynamically acquire the handler
to perform
the unit of work. FIG. 9 depicts one example of a process 900 executed by a
node to
dynamically acquire a handler for performing a unit of work.
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Upon the start of process 900, the node 140 receives a unit of work
assignment,
such as from distribution server 130, in act 910. The assignment may include
information such as the input data which is to be processed in performing the
unit of
work, the handler required to perform the unit of work, and/or other
information. Based
on this infonnation, in act 920 the node determines the required handler, and
in act 930
determines whether the required handler exists on (e.g., has previously been
loaded to)
the node. This may be performed in any suitable fashion, such as by examining
an
inventory of handlers on the node.
If it is detemiined that the required handler does not exist on the node, then
the
node retrieve the required handler in act 940. For example, the node may issue
a request
to distribution server 130 to send the handler to the node, and distribution
server 130 may
respond to the node with the handler. Alternatively, the node may directly
access a
database (e.g., electronic file storage 135, FIG. 1) to retrieve the handler.
Any suitable
technique for providing the handler to the node may be employed. Distribution
server
130 may store an indication that the handler has been provided to the node in
electronic
file storage 135.
Upon the completion of act 940, or upon determining in act 930 that the
required
handler exists on the node, the process proceeds to act 950, wherein the node
prepares
the handler for use in performing the unit of work. For example, as described
above, the
node may load the handler to an application domain so that the processing
associated
with performing the unit of work may be isolated from other processing
performed on
the node. In act 960, the node performs the unit of work using the acquired
handler.
Upon the completion of act 960, process 900 ends.
It should also be appreciated that because a node is capable of determining
whether it has the appropriate handler to perform a unit of work, the node is
capable of
dynamically acquiring the capability to process speech data in a nlanner
defined by a
user. For example, at the time unit of work is assigned to a particular node
on the grid,
the node may dynamically acquire the capability to perform that unit of work
in a
manner which complies with the user's specifications, as well as instructions
on how the
handler should be implemented (e.g., how it should be launched), and how the
output
generated thereby should be handled.
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This feature may allow nodes on the grid to be functionally scaleable, and to
flexibly adapt to changing needs of the user. For example, if a user that
previously
employed the system to process speech in a first language wishes to process
speech in a
second language, the user may develop a handler designed for the second
language and,
as units of worlc involving the second language are assigned to nodes, they
may
automatically acquire the capability to process speech in the second language.
This
feature obviates the need to take nodes offline to install new software
(thereby
minimizing administration expense), and may distribute functionality to nodes
on an as-
needed basis (thereby eliminating the need for nodes that do not use the
handler
application to store it). In a given implementation, at the time of system
design, a
protocol presumably will be selected or designed to permit appropriate
communication
between a server and nodes, so as to facilitate a node signaling its
capabilities and needs
and a server recognizing and responding to that information by providing
required
handler applications stored in a memory at the server or accessible by the
server. The
details of such a protocol can be readily devised by those skilled in computer
processing
and/or networking, and the details of suitable protocols are not discussed
herein in order
to avoid obfuscating the invention.
This feature may also be advantageous in a speech recognition context in that
this
type of processing typically involves multiple processing passes, wherein the
output of
one step constitutes the input for the next. For example, one example of a
speech
recognition process may involve a first step wherein an audio file is
segmented and a
representation for each segment is created, a second step wherein a speech
recognition
program is executed on the results of the first step, a third step wherein the
results
generated during the second step are combined, and a fourth step wherein
pattern
recognition is performed on the results of the third step. Changes to program
code for
any one step can necessitate changes to other steps, as different input may be
provided to
a particular step, and the input may require different processing. As a
result, the ability
of a node to adapt flexibly to changing requirements can save considerable
administration costs.
. In some embodiments, upon the completion of a unit of work by a node 140,
the
node sends a notification to distribution server 130, as well as the results
generated in the
performance of the unit of work. For example, if the unit of work involves
performing
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speech recognition processing on a segment of audio data, the results may
include data
(e.g., text) representing the words recognized in the audio data. Upon
receiving
notification that the unit of work has completed, distribution server 130 may
update
information stored in electronic file storage 135 (e.g., stored in unit of
work table 220,
node-unit of work table 240, and/or completed unit of work table 250).
In some embodiments, upon determining that all of the units of work associated
with a particular processing task, such as by accessing the status
indicator(s) in unit of
work table 220 and/or task table 210, distribution server 130 may load the
results to
publication database 160. Once loaded to publication database 160, the results
may
undergo further processing, such as pattern detection, ad hoc analysis and
reporting.
Some examples of this processing, including pattern recognition and reporting
techniques and tools for inzplementing these techniques, are described in
above-
referenced U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 10/672,767. Of course, the
invention is
not limited in this regard, as any suitable processing and/or analytic
techniques may be
employed.
Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of this
invention, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and
improvements
will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations,
modifications, and
improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure, and are intended to
be within the
spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and
drawings
are presented by way of example only.
