Path expressions: a technique for specifying process synchronization

Abstract

Path expressions are a new method of describing synchronization which provides a clear and structured approach to the description of shared data and the co-ordination and communication between concurrent processes. This method is flexible in its ability to express synchronization, and may be used in differing forms, some equivalent to P,V operations on counting semaphores. This method of synchronization is presented, and the motivations and considerations from which it is derived are explained. A method for formally characterizing path expressions is given, together with several automatic means of translating path expressions into implementations using existing synchronization operations.