Input/output subsystem having an integrated advanced programmable interrupt controller for use in a personal computer
US5857090A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 29, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jan 5, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 29, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F13/24
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A computer system is described having one or more host processors, a host chipset and a input/output (I/O) subsystem. The host processors are connected to the host chipset by a host bus. The host chipset is connected to the input/output subsystem by a primary personal computer interface (PCI) bus. The I/O subsystem is connected to I/O devices by a secondary PCI bus. The I/O subsystem includes advanced programmable interrupt controller (APIC) functionality typically provided within an I/O APIC chip within a host chipset. The APIC functionality of the I/O subsystem is primarily implemented in software executing on a core processor of the I/O subsystem. The software creates and accesses various APIC registers and tables, such as a redirection table, within a memory of the I/O subsystem. A single 3-wire APIC bus interconnects the host processors with the I/O subsystem. With this arrangement, non-PCI interrupt lines from the I/O devices are connected only into the I/O subsystem, rather than into the host chipset.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.