Fast access priority queue for managing multiple messages at a

Abstract

In processing a priority queue, the elements are kept in an unsorted stack and are searched for the next highest priority element only after the highest priority element has been read from the holding register. Each time a new element is written into the queue, a comparison is made of the priority of the new element with the priority of the existing element in the holding register. If the new element has a higher priority, then the existing element in the holding register is written onto the top of the stack. Alternately, if the element in the holding register has the higher priority, then the new element is written onto the top of the stack. This assures that the holding register always contains the element having the highest priority. Therefore, a read of the priority queue by reading the contents of the holding register guarantees that the highest priority element is there and it can be accessed immediately without further searching the queue.