US Patent 9411636 Multi-tasking real-time kernel threads used in multi-threaded network processing

For multi-threaded network processing, a real-time task is scheduled in a network server by placing the task on a real-time task list, activating the task when an event occurs during operation of the network server, and executing the task when scanning the task list and finding that the task has been activated. For example, an application or kernel process sends to a real-time network thread manager a request to register a task specified by an address of a task service routine. The thread manager places the address in an entry on the task list and returns a cookie identifying the entry. Upon occurrence of the event, an interrupt routine sends to a task activation routine a request to activate the task specified by the cookie. At periodic intervals, if there are any activated tasks on the task list, then a real-time scheduler scans the task list.