What is priority inversion in safety-critical systems?

What is priority inversion in safety-critical systems?

Priority inversion occurs when a lower-priority task holds a resource needed by a higher-priority task, causing delays.

Can you give me an example of how this might happen?

Sure! Imagine a high-priority task needs a lock held by a low-priority task. If a medium-priority task preempts the low-priority one, the high-priority task waits, leading to potential system failures.

How can we prevent priority inversion?

Preventing priority inversion can be achieved through techniques like priority inheritance, where the lower-priority task temporarily inherits the higher priority.

Are there any real-world systems affected by this issue?

Yes, systems like avionics and medical devices have faced challenges due to priority inversion, impacting safety and reliability.