A shared memory algorithm and proof for the generalized alternative construct in CSP (Q1100889)

Communicating sequential processes (CSP) is a paradigm for communication and synchronization among distributed processes. The alternative construct is a key feature of CSP that allows nondeterministic selection of one among several possible communicants. A generalized version of Hoare's original alternative construct that allows output commands to be included in guards has been proposed. Previous algorithms for this construct assume a message passing architecture and are not appropriate for multiprocessor systems that feature shared memory. This paper describes a distributed algorithm for the generalized alternative construct that exploits the capabilities of a parallel computer with shared memory. A correctness proof of the proposed algorithm is presented to show that the algorithm conforms to some safety and liveness criteria. Extensions to allow termination of processes and to ensure fairness in guard selection are also given.