Reliable and Efficient Concurrent Synchronization for Embedded Real-Time Software

Abstract

The high degree of autonomy and increased complexity of future robotic spacecraft pose significant challenges in assuring their reliability and efficiency. To achieve fast and safe concurrent interactions in mission critical code, we survey the practical state-of-the-art nonblocking programming techniques. We study in detail two nonblocking approaches: (1) CAS-based algorithms and (2) software transactional memory. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each approach by applying each methodology for engineering the design and implementation of a nonblocking shared vector. Our study investigates how the application of nonblocking synchronization can help eliminate the problems of deadlock, livelock, and priority inversion and at the same time deliver a performance improvement in embedded real-time software.