Semaphores

Prepared by:
Lm Ngc n
Tng Trng Tuyn
3/31/16

Semaphores

Contents

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1.

Definition

2.

Operators

3.

Typical Use

4.

Implementation in T-kernel

Semaphores

1. Definition
A semaphore (sometimes called
a semaphore token) is a kernel
object that one or more threads
of execution can acquire or
release for the purposes of
synchronization or mutual
exclusion
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1. Definition

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1. Definition
3 groups:
Binary Semaphores
Counting Semaphores
Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

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1.1. Binary Semaphores

Binary semaphores are treated as
global resources

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1.2. Counting Semaphores

global resources
bounded count vs unbounded count

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

A mutual exclusion (mutex)
semaphore is a special binary
semaphore

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Ownership
Recursive access
Task deletion safety
Protocols for avoiding problems
inherent to mutual exclusion

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Owner is the first task acquiring it
Only owner can release it (contrast
with binary semaphores)

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Recursive locking (optional): owner
can acquire multiple times in the
locked state
Avoid causing the deadlock in
nested attempts to acquire the
resource

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Task Deletion Safety (optional):
using task deletion locks to
ensure that the owner task
cannot be deleted

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Priority Inversion Avoidance:

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Priority Inversion Avoidance:

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1.3. Mutual Exclusion Semaphores

Priority Inversion Avoidance
Common protocols:
priority inheritance
ceiling priority

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2. Operator
creating and deleting semaphores
acquiring and releasing
semaphores
clearing a semaphores taskwaiting list
getting semaphore information.

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3. Typical Use
Wait-and-Signal Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Wait-and-Signal Synchronization
tWaitTask ( ) {
:
Acquire binary semaphore token
:
}
tSignalTask ( ) {
:
Release binary semaphore token
:
}

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3. Typical Use
Multiple-Task Wait-and-Signal
Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Multiple-Task Wait-and-Signal
Synchronization
tWaitTask () {
:
Do some processing specific to task Acquire binary semaphore
token
:
}
tSignalTask () {
:
Do some processing Flush binary semaphore's task-waiting list
:
}
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3. Typical Use
Credit-Tracking Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Credit-Tracking Synchronization
tWaitTask () {
:
Acquire counting semaphore token
:
}
tSignalTask () {
:
Release counting semaphore token
:
}

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3. Typical Use
Single Shared-Resource-Access
Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Single Shared-Resource-Access
Synchronization
tAccessTask () {
:
Acquire binary semaphore token Read or write to shared
resource Release binary semaphore token
:
}

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3. Typical Use
Multiple Shared-ResourceAccess Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Multiple Shared-ResourceAccess Synchronization
tAccessTask () {
:
Acquire a counting semaphore token
Read or Write to shared resource
Release a counting semaphore token
:
}

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3. Typical Use
Multiple Shared-ResourceAccess Synchronization
tAccessTask () {
:
Acquire first mutex in non-blocking way
If not successful then acquire 2nd mutex in a blocking way
Read or Write to shared resource
Release the acquired mutex
:
}

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3. Typical Use
Recursive Shared-ResourceAccess Synchronization

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3. Typical Use
Recursive Shared-ResourceAccess Synchronization
tAccessTask () {
Acquire mutex
Access shared resource
Call Routine A
Release mutex
}
Routine A () {
Acquire mutex
Access shared resource
Call Routine B
Release mutex
}
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Routine B () {
:
Acquire mutex
Access shared resource
Release mutex
:
}

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4. Implementation in T-Kernel

The semaphores functions:

ID semid = tk_cre_sem ( T_CSEM *pk_csem );

ER ercd = tk_del_sem ( ID semid ) ;

ER ercd = tk_sig_sem ( ID semid, INT cnt ) ;

ER ercd = tk_wai_sem ( ID semid, INT cnt,

TMO tmout ) ;
ER ercd = tk_ref_sem ( ID semid, T_RSEM
*pk_rsem ) ;

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4. Implementation in T-Kernel
The mutex functions:
ID mtxid = tk_cre_mtx ( T_CMTX *pk_cmtx ) ;

ER ercd = tk_del_mtx ( ID mtxid ) ;

ER ercd = tk_loc_mtx ( ID mtxid, TMO tmout ) ;
ER ercd = tk_unl_mtx ( ID mtxid ) ;
ER ercd = tk_ref_mtx ( ID mtxid, T_RMTX
*pk_rmtx ) ;

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4. Reference

T-kernel Specification T-engine Forum

Real-Time Concepts for Embedded Systems Qing Li with Caroline Yao

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Thank You !

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