Multi-Core Critical Section Access with Fair Ticket Locking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional synchronized lock methods in multi-core processors lead to performance bottlenecks, resource wastage, and unfairness due to threads competing for critical sections, causing inefficiencies and energy inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

Implement a multicore-lock-unlock module and a multithread-lock-unlock module using atomic operations to ensure only one core and one thread can access the critical section at a time, utilizing a ticket-based fair lock mechanism to manage synchronized locks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional synchronized lock methods are used in multi-core processors, then mutual exclusion is achieved, but performance bottlenecks occur due to threads waiting idle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemutual exclusionVSAvoidprocessor performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a ticket lock mechanism as an intermediary between threads and critical sections. Instead of threads directly competing for lock access, they obtain tickets in advance and wait in an ordered queue, eliminating idle spinning and improving processor utilization while maintaining mutual exclusion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Threads perform preliminary actions by obtaining tickets before actually accessing the critical section. The ticket allocation happens in advance, establishing a predetermined access order that eliminates contention and waiting overhead during actual critical section access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If traditional spinlock mechanisms are used, then simple implementation is achieved, but resource wastage occurs due to continuous spinning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelock mechanism complexityVSAvoidprocessor energy efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous spinning, the ticket lock mechanism implements periodic action where threads check their ticket status at intervals determined by the queue position. Threads can sleep or perform other work between checks, dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining lock functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Ease of operation

If traditional spinlocks are used with multiple threads, then basic lock functionality is achieved, but fairness issues arise due to unequal waiting times

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelock acquisitionVSAvoidthread waiting time fairness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the lock acquisition process into distinct phases: ticket allocation, queue positioning, and critical section access. Each thread receives a unique ticket number that segments the waiting process into discrete, fair positions, ensuring that waiting time is distributed equally among all threads regardless of their arrival order.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250362976A1Method for managing mutual exclusion access to a critical section in a multi-core processor

Publication Date: 2025.11.27 NATIONAL CHUNG CHENG UNIV

AI summary

In a method for managing mutual exclusion access to a critical section in a multi-core processor, the multi-core processor includes cores. The step of managing the cores to access a critical section by the multi-core processor includes only one of the cores is allowed to access the critical section at given time and the next thread on the core that is allowed to access the critical section for accessing the critical section is designated.