semaphore

4 definitions found

semaphore - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Semaphore \Sem"a*phore\, n. [Gr. sh^ma a sign + fe`rein to bear:
     cf. F. s['e]maphore.]
     A signal telegraph; an apparatus for giving signals by the
     disposition of lanterns, flags, oscillating arms, etc.
     [1913 Webster] Semaphoric

semaphore - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  semaphore
      n 1: an apparatus for visual signaling with lights or
           mechanically moving arms
      v 1: send signals by or as if by semaphore
      2: convey by semaphore, of information

semaphore - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  semaphore
  
     <programming, operating system> The classic method for
     restricting access to shared resources (e.g. storage) in a
     multi-processing environment.  They were invented by
     Dijkstra and first used in T.H.E operating system.
  
     A semaphore is a protected variable (or abstract data type
     ) which can only be accessed using the following
     operations:
  
     	P(s)
     	Semaphore s;
     	 	 while (s == 0) ;	/* wait until s>0 */ 	 s = s-1; 	
             
  
     	V(s)
     	Semaphore s;
     	 	 s = s+1; 	
         
  
     	Init(s, v)
     	Semaphore s;
     	Int v;
     	 	 s = v; 	
         
  
     P and V stand for Dutch "Proberen", to test, and "Verhogen",
     to increment.  The value of a semaphore is the number of units
     of the resource which are free (if there is only one resource
     a "binary semaphore" with values 0 or 1 is used).  The P
     operation busy-waits (or maybe sleeps) until a resource is
     available whereupon it immediately claims one.  V is the
     inverse, it simply makes a resource available again after the
     process has finished using it.  Init is only used to
     initialise the semaphore before any requests are made.  The P
     and V operations must be indivisible, i.e. no other process
     can access the semaphore during the their execution.
  
     To avoid busy-waiting, a semaphore may have an associated
     queue of processes (usually a FIFO).  If a process does a
     P on a semaphore which is zero the process is added to the
     semaphore's queue.  When another process increments the
     semaphore by doing a V and there are tasks on the queue, one
     is taken off and resumed.
  
     (1995-02-01)
  

semaphore - Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 :

  72 Moby Thesaurus words for "semaphore":
     Roman candle, aid to navigation, alarm, amber light, balefire,
     beacon, beacon fire, bell, bell buoy, blinker, blue peter, buoy,
     caution light, flare, fog bell, fog signal, fog whistle, foghorn,
     glance, go light, gong buoy, green light, heliograph, high sign,
     international alphabet flag, international numeral pennant, kick,
     leer, marker beacon, nod, nudge, parachute flare, pilot flag, poke,
     police whistle, quarantine flag, radio beacon, red flag, red light,
     rocket, sailing aid, semaphore flag, semaphore telegraph, sign,
     signal, signal beacon, signal bell, signal fire, signal flag,
     signal gong, signal gun, signal lamp, signal light, signal mast,
     signal post, signal rocket, signal shot, signal siren,
     signal tower, spar buoy, stop light, the nod, the wink, touch,
     traffic light, traffic signal, watch fire, white flag, wigwag,
     wigwag flag, wink, yellow flag