Process algebra, process scheduling, and mutual exclusion

TL;DR

This paper extends the process algebra ACP$_\epsilon$ to model various process-scheduling policies, including those supporting mutual exclusion, enhancing its applicability to concurrent programming and operating system behaviors.

Contribution

It introduces an extension of ACP$_\epsilon$ that captures a broader range of process-scheduling policies, notably those involving mutual exclusion.

Findings

ACP$_\epsilon$ can model mutual exclusion in process scheduling

The extension covers more scheduling policies than previous ACP variants

Enhanced process algebra applicability to concurrent systems

Abstract

In the case of multi-threading as found in contemporary programming languages, parallel processes are interleaved according to what is known as a process-scheduling policy in the field of operating systems. In a previous paper, we extend ACP with this form of interleaving. In the current paper, we do so with the variant of ACP known as ACP$_\epsilon$. The choice of ACP$_\epsilon$ stems from the need to cover more process-scheduling policies. We show that a process-scheduling policy supporting mutual exclusion of critical subprocesses is now covered.