Generalized signals: An interrupt-based communication system for hypercubes

W. Felten Edward

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper describes a communication system designed to support highly asynchronous application or system software on a distributed-memory multicomputer such as a hypercube. The system is called generalized signals because it is based on the signal facility in System V UNIX, with enhancements to allow signals to carry data. Any processor can send a signal to any other processor at any time. When a signal arrives, the receiving processor traps to a user-specified subroutine; when this subroutine is finished the interrupted code is resumed. Signal interrupts happen in a controlled manner, thereby simplifying the programmer's task. There is a facility for protection of critical sections in user programs. The generalized signals system has been implemented on the NCUBE hypercube. This implementation is based on a modified version of NCUBE's VERTEX message-passing system. Generalized signals can coexist with VERTEX messages and the enhancements to VERTEX are transparent to ordinary programs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 3rd Conference on Hypercube Concurrent Computers and Applications
Subtitle of host publicationArchitecture, Software, Computer Systems, and General Issues, C3P 1988
EditorsGeoffrey Fox
PublisherAssociation for Computing Machinery, Inc
Pages563-568
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)0897912780, 9780897912785
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 1988
Event3rd Conference on Hypercube Concurrent Computers and Applications, C3P 1988 - Pasadena, United States
Duration: Jan 19 1988Jan 20 1988

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 3rd Conference on Hypercube Concurrent Computers and Applications: Architecture, Software, Computer Systems, and General Issues, C3P 1988
Volume1

Other

Other3rd Conference on Hypercube Concurrent Computers and Applications, C3P 1988
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPasadena
Period1/19/881/20/88

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Hardware and Architecture
  • Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
  • Software
  • Computer Science Applications

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