Interruption control method for multiprocessor system
First Claim
1. In a multiprocessor system formed of a plurality of microprocessors and including a shared memory unit, a method for controlling the processing of an interrupt command issued by an I/O device electrically interconnected with said microprocessors comprising the steps of:
- entering into the general register of each of said microprocessors a program status word including a priority order designating code indicating the relative priority in which said microprocessor is assigned to accept interrupt commands;
storing in said shared memory unit a plurality of entry addresses at locations dedicated to said individual microprocessors and addressable in terms of said priority order designating code;
selecting, in accordance with the priority order defined by said priority order designating code, one of said microprocessors to process an interrupt-servicing program in response to an interrupt command;
addressing said main memory unit at the entry address data location corresponding to the priority order designating code of said selected microprocessor; and
loading into the general register of said selected microprocessor entry address data obtained from said addressed entry address data location to enable said microprocessor to access a stored interrupt-servicing program for processing said interrupt command.
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Abstract
An interrupt control method for a multiprocessor system including a plurality of microprocessors wherein sections of a main memory, which is shared among the processors of the system, are allocated to store entry address data pointing to a plurality of interrupt-servicing programs for each of the several processors of the system. Interrupt commands are coded to designate different interrupt levels which are compared against mask flag bits and a master mask flag bit unique to each processor to determine which processor will respond to the interrupt command. The processors are arranged in a fixed priority sequence and respond to an interrupt command in a designated priority order. Controls are provided to prevent a processor which is executing an interrupt-servicing program from responding to a subsequent interrupt command until execution of the interrupt-servicing program is completed.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. In a multiprocessor system formed of a plurality of microprocessors and including a shared memory unit, a method for controlling the processing of an interrupt command issued by an I/O device electrically interconnected with said microprocessors comprising the steps of:
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entering into the general register of each of said microprocessors a program status word including a priority order designating code indicating the relative priority in which said microprocessor is assigned to accept interrupt commands; storing in said shared memory unit a plurality of entry addresses at locations dedicated to said individual microprocessors and addressable in terms of said priority order designating code; selecting, in accordance with the priority order defined by said priority order designating code, one of said microprocessors to process an interrupt-servicing program in response to an interrupt command; addressing said main memory unit at the entry address data location corresponding to the priority order designating code of said selected microprocessor; and loading into the general register of said selected microprocessor entry address data obtained from said addressed entry address data location to enable said microprocessor to access a stored interrupt-servicing program for processing said interrupt command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification