Arbitration and queueing under limited shared storage requirements

Abstract

An algorithm is presented which implements mutual exclusion for a system of n processes by means of protocol-controled communication on a (n + const.)-valued shared buffer. The algorithm uses a generalized test-and-set instruction, and schedules processes into their critical sections on a first-come, first-serve basis. The method can be extended to accomodate any queueing discipline defined as a function of the system history between consecutive idle periods.