INTER-PROCESS

COMMUNICATION AND
SYNCHRONISATION:
Lesson-12: Signal Function

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

2008 1
Raj Kamal, Publs.: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
 1. Signal

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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Raj Kamal, Publs.: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
 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.

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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Raj Kamal, Publs.: McGraw-Hill, Inc.
 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

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 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.

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 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.

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 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

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 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.

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 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.

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 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

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 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.
Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,
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 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

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 2. Comparison between signal and
semaphore

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 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.

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 Task A sending signal sB to initiate Task B (signal
handler) to run

OS Task B
signal
Task A mask B start B

Send sB

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Task A sending semaphore as event flag semi to initiate a
task section waiting to take semi before it could run

OS Task B
signal
Task A mask B Wait semi = 0
semi
semi = 1 Take Start

Release semi
semi

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 3. Example of using signal ( )

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 Signal ( ) Example

Handling of exception.

An exception is a process that is
executed on a specific reported
run-time condition.

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 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.

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 4. Advantage of using a Signal

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 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.

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 Signal handler Tasks B, C, and D Synchronizing
their execution by signals s1, s2 and s3

Task A Task B Task C Task D

Start B Start C Start D

Send s2 Send s3
Send s1

Chapter-8 L12: "Embedded Systems - Architecture, Programming and Design" ,

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 Task i sending signal s to initiate signal handler ISR j
Execute signal ( )

OS
ISR j
signal
Task i mask j start j

Send sj
Return

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 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

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 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

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 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.

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 5. Drawbacks of using a Signal

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 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].
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 Summary

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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

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 End of Lesson-12 on Signal

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