Method for assigning a multiplicity of interrupt vectors in a symmetric multi-processor computing environment

• US 6,738,847 B1
• Filed: 11/10/2000
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Beale, Andrew Ward, Paul, Derek William
• Primary Examiner(s): Auve, Glenn A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US09/709,075
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 710/260, 710/119, 709/100, 709/103, 709/104, 379/9.04
• US Class Current: 710/260
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/24 using interrupt G06F13/32 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is disclosed for use in a multi-processor computer system having a multiplicity of peripherals coupled thereto. The disclosed method assigns interrupt vectors from the multiplicity of peripherals, and includes the steps of determining if an interrupt resource from a given peripheral has already been assigned, and if not; assigning an affinity and vector to this interrupt resource. Moreover, a determination is made if the affinity and vector assigned in the previous step are within the operational characteristics of the multi-processor computer system.

Claims

1. In a multi-processor computer system having a multiplicity of peripherals coupled thereto, a method for assigning interrupt vectors from aid multiplicity of peripherals, said method comprising the steps of:

a. determining if an interrupt resource from a given peripheral has already been assigned, and if not;

b. assigning an affinity and vector to said interrupt resource comprising;

(b1) determining if said interrupt resource is reserved, and if not;

(b2) obtaining an affinity for said interrupt resource from a variable rotating destination set comprising;

(b21) shifting said affinity to the left;

(b22) detecting where said affinity shifts off the end;

(b23) determining the next processor in series available for an interrupt; and

,

(b24) returning a value representing the next processor available for an interrupt; and

(b3) obtaining a vector for said interrupt resource from an available vector array;

c. determining if the affinity and vector assigned in the previous step are within an operational characteristic of said multi-processor computer system.

2. The method as in claim 1, where step c thereof further comprises determining which algorithm is to be used for obtaining a vector.

3. The method as in claim 2, where it is determined that an algorithm selected minimizes the number of vectors used, returning a first shareable vector.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

a. determining if out of vectors, and if not;

b. determining if a vector under consideration has been reserved, and if not;

c. determining if this vector has previously been used on this destination set, and if not;

d. returning this vector for use on this destination set and recording this fact.

5. The method as in claim 4, wherein it is determined that this vector has previously been used on this destination set, further including the steps of:

a. setting the vector to used to a variable, Vector[K];

b. setting a variable Procs[K] to (Procs[K] or Affinity); and

,

c. returning this vector as the vector to use.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein step c thereof further includes the steps of:

a. examining each assigned vector for having an affinity for a given destination set and being at a required level;

b. counting how many assigned vectors are at a given level for a specific destination set;

c. if the count of assigned vectors exceeds a threshold of operational characteristics of said computer system, issuing a warning signal to a user thereof.

7. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for use in a multi-processor system having a multiplicity of peripherals coupled thereto, a method for assigning interrupt vectors from said multiplicity of peripherals, wherein, when the computer program code is executed by a computer, the computer performs the steps of:

a. determining if an interrupt resource from a given peripheral has already been assigned, and if not;

b. assigning an affinity and vector to said interrupt resource comprising;

(b1) determining if said interrupt resource is reserved, and if not;

(b2) obtaining an affinity for said interrupt resource from a variable rotating destination set comprising;

(b21) shifting said affinity to the left;

(b22) detecting where said affinity shifts off the end;

(b23) determining the next processor in series available for an interrupt; and

,

(b24) returning a value representing the next processor available for an interrupt; and

(b3) obtaining a vector for said interrupt resource from an available vector array;

c. determining if the affinity and vector assigned in the previous step are within an operational characteristic of said multi-processor computer system.

8. The storage medium as in claim 7, where step c thereof further comprises determining which algorithm is to be used for obtaining a vector.

9. The storage medium as in claim 8, where it is determined that an algorithm selected minimizes the number of vectors used, returning a first shareable vector.

10. The storage medium as in claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

a. determining if out of vectors, and if not;

b. determining if a vector under consideration has been reserved, and if not;

c. determining if this vector has previously been used on this destination set, and if not;

d. returning this vector for use on this destination set and recording this fact.

11. The storage medium as in claim 10, wherein it is determined that this vector has previously been used on this destination set, further including the steps of:

a. setting the vector to used to a variable, Vector[K];

b. setting a variable Procs[K] to (Procs[K] or Affinity); and

,

c. returning this vector as the vector to use.

12. The storage medium as in claim 7, wherein step c thereof further includes the steps of:

a. examining each assigned vector for having an affinity for a given destination set and being at a required level;

b. counting how many assigned vectors are at a given level for a specific destination set;

d. if the count of assigned vectors exceeds a threshold of operational characteristics of said computer system, issuing a warning signal to a user thereof.