27. Interrupts and Processor Management
The chapter discusses the concepts of interrupts in CPU processes, focusing on how devices can signal the processor to gain attention through interrupt requests. It details the mechanisms for enabling and disabling interrupts, the implications of interrupt servicing, and the design considerations for handling multiple interrupts and prioritizing tasks.
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What we have learnt
- Flag bits can control the enablement of interrupts within CPU operations.
- The importance of restoring context after an interrupt service routine is crucial for maintaining program execution flow.
- Different strategies exist for identifying which I/O module issued an interrupt, including software and hardware polling methods.
Key Concepts
- -- Interrupt
- A signal that indicates an event requiring immediate attention from the processor, effectively interrupting the current execution flow.
- -- Interrupt Service Routine (ISR)
- A special function executed when an interrupt is received, responsible for handling the interrupt and providing the necessary response.
- -- Priority
- A mechanism that determines the order in which multiple interrupts are processed, ensuring higher priority interrupts are handled before lower priority ones.
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