Assembly Language:
Interrupt
INSTRUCTOR: ENG ABDUL JALIL DILAWAR
Interrupt is a signal sent to the processor by either hardware or software to
temporarily suspend the execution of the current program and handle a
specific event or condition.
Interrupts can be triggered by various events such as hardware device
requests, errors, or timers reaching a certain value. When an interrupt occurs,
the processor saves the current state of the program, switches to a
designated interrupt handling routine, and then resumes normal execution
after the interrupt has been serviced. This allows for efficient multitasking
and handling of asynchronous events in a computer system.
Interrupts occur for various reasons in a computer system:
1. Hardware Events: Hardware devices, such as keyboards, mice, or
network adapters, may generate interrupts to signal that they require
attention from the processor. For example, when a key is pressed on a
keyboard, an interrupt can be triggered to inform the processor to read the
keystroke.
Interrupts occur for various reasons in a computer system:
2. Software Requests: Software programs can also generate interrupts to
request specific services from the operating system or to handle
exceptional conditions. For instance, a program might request file I/O
operations or invoke system calls for various tasks.
Interrupts occur for various reasons in a computer system:
3. Errors and Exceptions: Interrupts can be generated to handle error
conditions or exceptional situations that occur during program execution,
such as division by zero, memory access violations, or invalid instructions.
Interrupts occur for various reasons in a computer system:
4.Timer Events: Interrupts are often used to implement timers and
periodic tasks in a system. A timer interrupt can be triggered when a
certain amount of time has elapsed, allowing the system to perform tasks
such as updating the system clock or executing scheduled processes.
Overall, interrupts play a crucial role in enabling
multitasking, efficient I/O handling, and handling
exceptional conditions in a computer system. They allow
the processor to respond promptly to various events
and manage system resources effectively.
Handling:
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
1. Interrupt Service Routine (ISR) Setup: Write the code for the
Interrupt Service Routine (ISR), which is the routine that will be
executed when the interrupt occurs. This routine should handle the
specific event or condition that triggered the interrupt.
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
2.Interrupt Vector Table Configuration: Configure the interrupt
vector table, which is a table of pointers that maps each
interrupt number to the corresponding ISR address in memory. This
table allows the processor to locate the appropriate ISR when an
interrupt occurs.
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
3.Enable Interrupts: Enable interrupts in the processor by setting the
appropriate interrupt enable bit(s) in the interrupt control registers.
This allows the processor to respond to interrupts when they occur..
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
4.Interrupt Handling: When an interrupt occurs, the processor
automatically saves the current execution state (such as the program
counter and register values) and jumps to the address of the
corresponding ISR in the interrupt vector table. The ISR then executes
to handle the interrupt.
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
5. ISR Execution: In the ISR, perform the necessary tasks to handle
the interrupt, such as servicing the hardware device, processing data,
or handling errors. Once the ISR completes its tasks, it typically ends
with a return instruction to return control to the interrupted program.
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
6. Restore State: After the ISR completes execution, the processor
restores the saved execution state and resumes execution of the
interrupted program from the point where it was interrupted.
Handling interrupts typically involves several steps in
assembly language programming:
7. Disable Interrupts (Optional): In some cases, interrupts may need
to be temporarily disabled during critical sections of code to prevent
interruptions. This can be done by clearing the interrupt enable bit(s)
in the interrupt control
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