"lock_futex"

"lock_futex" is special. High-order bit is used to indicate the 
presence of waiter(s) -- the kernel is supposed to maintain this 
bit (atomic operation(s) on user memory inside the kernel). For 
semas, the wait operation on "lock_futex" simply checks remaining 
31 bits and returns (doesn't suspend the calling thread) if the 
value is not zero. For mutexes, the "doesn't suspend" value is 
zero. Here's the scheme (apart from timeouts and acquire/release 
mnemonics for proper memory synchronization).

sema_lock:

  WHILE 
    !atomic_decrement_if_binand_7FFFFFFF_is_not_zero(&lock_futex) 
      lock_futex_wait(&lock_futex, 0)

sema_unlock:

  IF atomic_increment(&lock_futex) > 0x80000000
    THEN lock_futex_wake(&lock_futex, 1)

mutex_lock:

  WHILE 
    atomic_bit_test_set(&lock_futex, 1) 
      lock_futex_wait(&lock_futex, 1)

mutex_unlock:

  IF atomic_decrement(&lock_futex)
    THEN lock_futex_wake(&lock_futex, 1)

Wait-morphing (for BOTH cv-signal and cv-broadcast) will be 
"no problem" as well (and without "forced unlock" ugliness).

Oder?

regards,
alexander.