UNIFORM SELF-STABILIZING ALGORITHMS FOR MUTUAL EXCLUSION

A self-stabilizing algorithm is a distributed algorithm that can solve problems, even when started in any arbitrary network configuration. This paper describes a self-stabilizing algorithm that solves mutual exclusion problems for three networks and complete networks. In a tree network or in a complete network, because of their symmetrical nature, mutual exclusion problems cannot be solved by uniform deterministic algorithms (all processors execute the same programs and do not assume the existence of mutually distinct identifiers). Thus, the algorithms introduced in this paper are superior to the existing ones in the following respects: (1) uniformity of algorithms; (2) forwardness of little atomic action of processor (read/write demon); and (3) finiteness of the state number of the processors.