Inter-Task Communication (ITC)

Inter-Task Communication (ITC)

Inter-Task Communication (ITC) is pivotal in the realm of embedded systems, especially for those running on Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS). ITC allows different tasks (or threads) within the system to exchange information seamlessly, fostering synchronization and coordination! 🔄🔧

🌐 Techniques of Inter-Task Communication:

1. Message Queues:

   • Enables tasks to send and receive messages in FIFO order.

   • Ideal for transmitting data between tasks without the need for them to run concurrently.

2. Semaphores:

   • Acts as a signaling mechanism between tasks.

   • Binary semaphores are used for resource access control, while counting semaphores manage resource units.

3. Mutexes:

   • Primarily used for resource protection, ensuring that only one task accesses the resource at a given time.

4. Event Flags:

   • Tasks can set, clear, or wait for one or multiple event flags, facilitating efficient event-driven programming.

5. Pipes and Mailboxes:

   • Pipes allow tasks to read and write data in a byte stream, while mailboxes enable sending and receiving of fixed-size messages.

6. Memory Blocks:

   • Tasks can allocate, deallocate, or exchange blocks of memory, aiding in dynamic memory management.

🛠️ Selecting the Right Technique:

• Opt for message queues for asynchronous data transfer between tasks.

• Use semaphores for simple synchronization or signaling.

• Mutexes are ideal for protecting shared resources from concurrent access.

• Event flags suit systems requiring responsive task activation based on specific events.