Preemption

When a higher priority process becomes dispatchable, the kernel interrupts its computation and forces the context switch, preempting the currently running process. A process can be preempted at any time if the kernel finds that a higher priority process is now dispatchable.

For example, suppose that process A performs a read from a peripheral device. Process A is put into the sleep state by the kernel. The kernel then finds that a lower priority process B is runnable, so process B is dispatched and begins execution. Eventually, the peripheral device interrupts, and the driver of the device is entered. The device driver makes process A runnable and returns. Rather than returning to the interrupted process B, the kernel now preempts B from processing and resumes execution of the awakened process A.

Another interesting situation occurs when several processes contend for kernel resources. When a lower priority process releases a resource for which a higher priority real-time process is waiting, the kernel immediately preempts the lower priority process and resumes execution of the higher priority process.