INTER-PROCESS COMMUNICATION AND SYNCHRONISATION: Lesson-12: Signal Function

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1 INTER-PROCESS COMMUNICATION AND SYNCHRONISATION: Lesson-12: Signal Function 1

2 1. Signal 2

3 Signal One way for messaging is to use an OS function signal ( ). Provided in Unix, Linux and several RTOSes. Unix and Linux OSes use signals profusely and have thirty-one different types of signals for the various events. 3

4 Signal A signal is the software equivalent of the flag at a register that sets on a hardware interrupt. Unless masked by a signal mask, the signal allows the execution of the signal handling function and allows the handler to run just as a hardware interrupt allows the execution of an ISR 4

5 Signal Signal is an IPC used for signaling from a process A to OS to enable start of another process B Signal is a one or two byte IPC from a process to the OS. 5

6 Signal Signal provides the shortest communication. The signal ( ) sends a one-bit output for a process, which unmasks a signal mask of a process or task (called signal handler) The handler has coding similar to ones in an ISR runs in a way similar to a highest priority ISR. 6

7 Signal An ISR runs on an hardware interrupt provided that interrupt is no masked. The signal handler also runs on signal provided that signal is no masked 7

8 Signal Signal ( ) forces a signaled process or task called signal handler to run. When there is return from the signaled or forced task or process, the process, which sent the signal, runs the codes as happens on a return from the ISR. 8

9 Signal... OS connects a signal to a process or ISR j (called signal handler function), and resets the signal mask of j. Then the j runs after all higher than j priority processes (or ISRs) finish. 9

10 Signal... An OS provision for signal as an IPC function means a provision for interrupt-message from a process or task to another process or task 10

11 Signal ( ) IPC function 1. SigHandler ( ) to create a signal handler corresponding to a signal identified by the signal number and define a pointer to signal context.. The signal context saves the registers on signal. 2. Connect an interrupt vector to a signal number, with signaled handler function and signal handler arguments. The interrupt vector provides the program counter value for the signal handler function address. 11

12 Signal ( ) IPC functions 3. A function signal ( ) to send a signal identified by a number to a signal handler task 4. Mask the signal 5. Unmask the signal 6. Ignore the signal 12

13 2. Comparison between signal and semaphore 13

14 Signal and Semaphore Some OSes provide the signal and semaphore both IPC functions Every OS provides semaphore IPC functions. When the IPC functions for signal are not provided by an OS, then the OS employs semaphore for the same purpose. 14

15 Task A sending signal s B to initiate Task B (signal handler) to run Task A OS signal mask B Task B start B Send s B 15

16 Task A sending semaphore as event flag sem i to initiate a task section waiting to take sem i before it could run Task A OS signal mask B Task B Wait sem i = 0 sem i = 1 sem i Take Start Release sem i sem i 16

17 3. Example of using signal ( ) 17

18 Signal ( ) Example Handling of exception. An exception is a process that is executed on a specific reported run-time condition. 18

19 Signal ( ) Example A signal reports an error (called 'Exception') during the running of a task and then lets the scheduler initiate an error-handling process or ISR, for example, initiate error-login task. - Handling of signal is similar to an ISR handling function using an interrupt vector. 19

20 4. Advantage of using a Signal 20

21 Advantage of using a Signal Unlike semaphores, it takes the shortest possible CPU time. The signals are the flag or one or two byte message used as the IPC functions for synchronizing the concurrent processing of the tasks. 21

22 Signal handler Tasks B, C, and D Synchronizing their execution by signals s1, s2 and s3 Task A Task B Start B Task C Start C Task D Start D Send s1 Send s2 Send s3 22

23 Task i sending signal s to initiate signal handler ISR j Execute signal ( ) Task i OS signal mask j ISR j start j Send s j Return 23

24 Advantage of using a Signal 1. A signal is the software equivalent of the flag at a register that sets on a hardware interrupt. 2. It is sent on some exception or on some condition, which can set during running of a process or task or thread. 3. Sending a signal is software equivalent of throwing exception in C/C++ or Java program 24

25 Advantage of using a Signal 4. Unless process is masked by a signal mask, the signal allows the execution of the signal handling process, just as a hardware interrupt allows the execution of an ISR 25

26 Advantage of using a Signal 5. A signal is identical to setting a flag that is shared and used by another interrupt servicing process. 6. A signal raised by one process forces another process to interrupt and to catch that signal provided the signal is not masked at that process. 26

27 5. Drawbacks of using a Signal 27

28 Drawbacks of using a Signal 1. Signal is handled only by a very high priority process (service routine). That may disrupt the usual schedule and usual priority inheritance mechanism. 2. Signal may cause reentrancy problem [process not retuning to state identical to the one before signal handler process executed]. 28

29 Summary 29

30 We learnt (i) The simplest IPC for messaging and synchronizing processes is signal. A signal provides the shortest message. Signals are used for initiating another ISR or task and error handling process called signal handler. (ii) A signal is equivalent throwing exception in Java/C/C++ or setting of an interrupt flag 30

31 End of Lesson-12 on Signal 31

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