Patent · US Expired

Interrupt handler with prioritized interrupt vector generator

US6499078B1 · kind B1 · utility

21Cited by

6References

28Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

Richard D. Beckert · Lake Stevens, US
Mark M. Moeller · Everson, US
Patrick Mullarky · Bellevue, US

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 19, 1999
Grant date	Dec 24, 2002
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 19, 2019

Classification

Technology area (CPC G)Physics
CPC primaryG06F13/26
WIPO fieldComputer technology
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A hardware-implemented interrupt handler external to a processor handles interrupts destined for the processor. The interrupt handler has a programmable prioritized interrupt array with programmable registers that identify priority levels and handling processes for handling one or more interrupts. The interrupt handler also has an interrupt scanning state machine that scans the prioritized interrupt following receipt of an interrupt to extract the priority level and handling process associated with the interrupt. The interrupt handler is designed to handle interrupts in significantly less time than software implementations, thereby making the handler favorable for real time systems.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.