Win32 doesn't do signals (much), but has several more powerful alternatives. Take a look at Win32::IPC, Win32::Semaphore, Win32::Event, Win32::Mutex etc.

Here's one way of achieving your requirement.

#! perl -slw
use strict;
use Win32::Event;

my $eventName = "MyEvent.$$";
print $eventName;
my $event = new Win32::Event( 0, 0, $eventName );
my $timeout = rand 60000;

print "Spawning a background script to wake me up in ", $timeout / 100
+0, " seconds";

( my $cmd = <<EOP ) =~ s[\s+][ ]g;
perl -MWin32::Event 
-wle"
Win32::Sleep shift; 
print 'Waking them';
\$e=Win32::Event->open(shift) and \$e->set or die \$^E
" $timeout $eventName
EOP

system 1, $cmd;

$timeout /= 1000;
my $rv = 0;
print "Event should occur in ", int( --$timeout )  until $rv = $event-
+>wait( 1000 );
print $rv ? 'Woken' : 'Event abandoned';

__END__
[20:54:53.64] P:\test>412941
MyEvent.648
Spawning a background script to wake me up in 17.080078125 seconds
Event should occur in 16
Event should occur in 15
Event should occur in 14
Event should occur in 13
Event should occur in 12
Event should occur in 11
Event should occur in 10
Event should occur in 9
Event should occur in 8
Event should occur in 7
Event should occur in 6
Event should occur in 5
Event should occur in 4
Event should occur in 3
Event should occur in 2
Event should occur in 1
Event should occur in 0
Waking them
Woken
[download]