Thread synchronization by transitioning threads to spin lock and sleep state

摘要

A method, apparatus, and computer readable medium for synchronizing a main thread and a slave thread executing on a processor system are disclosed. For example, the method includes the following elements: transitioning the slave thread from a sleep state to a spin-lock state in response to a wake-up message from the main thread; transitioning the slave thread out of the spin-lock state to process a first work unit from the main thread; determining, at the main thread, an elapsed time period until receipt of a second work unit for the slave thread; transitioning the slave thread to the spin-lock state if the elapsed time period satisfies a threshold time period; and transitioning the slave thread to the sleep state if the elapsed time period does not satisfy the threshold time period.

主权项

1. A method of synchronizing a main thread and a slave thread, comprising:
obtaining an initial work unit at the main thread; dividing the initial work unit into a first work unit and another work unit; sending, via a wake-up message, the first work unit from the main thread to the slave thread; and processing the other work unit at the main thread; transitioning the slave thread from a sleep state to a spin-lock state in response to the wake-up message from the main thread; transitioning the slave thread out of the spin-lock state to process the first work unit from the main thread; determining, at the main thread that executes on a processor, an elapsed time period until receipt of a second work unit for the slave thread, wherein the act of determining the elapsed time period is performed before the receipt of the second work unit; transitioning the slave thread to the spin-lock state if the elapsed time period satisfies a threshold time period; and transitioning the slave thread to the sleep state if the elapsed time period does not satisfy the threshold time period.