Validating message-signaled interrupts by tracking interrupt vectors assigned to devices

US8631181B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Oracle International Corporation · US

Inventors

• John R. Feehrer · Westford, US
• Hugh Kurth · Woburn, US
• Carl F. Humphreys · Burlington, US
• David M. Kahn · Makawao, US
• John G. Johnson · San Jose, US
• Tayfun Kocaoglu · Los Gatos, US
• Gregory Onufer · Palo Alto, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 2011
• Grant date: Jan 14, 2014
• Expiry date: Mar 21, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F21/53
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that validates message-signaled interrupts. During operation, the system receives a message-signaled interrupt from a requesting device. This message-signaled interrupt includes an interrupt vector that identifies an interrupt, and is accompanied by an identification tag that identifies the source of the interrupt. The system uses the interrupt vector to access a stored tag from a tracking mechanism that associates source devices with their assigned interrupt vector(s). The system then compares the identification tag and the stored tag to validate the message-signaled interrupt.