Gate close failure notification for fair gating in a nonuniform memory architecture data processing system

A method of notifying a first processor in a data processing system that a second processor in the data processing system is spinning trying to close a gate in a memory in the data processing system, said method comprising:

• A) testing to determine that the second processor is spinning trying to close the gate;
• and
• B) notifying the first processor when the testing in step (A) determines that the second processor is spinning;
• and
• C) invalidating a Spinning on Gate location in a memory when the test in step (A) determines that the second processor is not spinning trying to close the gate.

A data processing system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a second processor;
• a memory;
• and
• means for detecting that the second processor is spinning trying to close a gate in the memory, said means for detecting comprising:
• 1) means counting a number of times that the second processor has attempted to close the gate, and
• 2) means for comparing the number of times against a prespecified limit such that the second processor is determined to be spinning trying to close the gate when the number of times exceeds the prespecified limits;
• and
• means for notifying the first processor that the second processor is spinning trying to close the gate in the memory, said means for notifying comprising:
• means for writing an identification of the gate into the Spinning on Gate location in a memory.

A data processing system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a second processor;
• a memory;
• and
• means for detecting that the second processor is spinning trying to close a gate in the memory;
• and
• means for notifying the first processor that the second processor is spinning trying to close the gate in the memory, said means for notifying comprising:
• means for writing an identification of the gate into a Spinning on Gate location in a memory.

A data processing system comprising:

• a first processor;
• a second processor;
• a memory;
• and
• means for detecting that the second processor is spinning trying to close a gate in the memory;
• means for notifying the first processor that the second processor is spinning trying to close the gate in the memory;
• and
• means for invalidating a Spinning on Gate location in a memory when the test in the means for detecting determines that the second processor is not spinning trying to close the gate.