Method and apparatus for distributing interrupts in a symmetric

Details Method and apparatus for distributing interrupts in a symmetric Method and apparatus for distributing interrupts in a symmetric

1996-08-20

1999-03-09

An, Meng-Al T.

395734, 395737, 395739, 395293, G06F 1300

Patent

active

058812938

ABSTRACT:
A distributed interrupt controller system for use in a multiprocessor environment, having at least two local programmable interrupt controllers (LOPICs) coupled to at least one central programmable interrupt controller (COPIC) via a dedicated bus. One of the at least one COPICs functions as a master arbiter, while the LOPICs, each of which may be integrated with its corresponding processing unit, and other non-master COPICs are treated as bus agents. Bus grant is achieved by a "round robin" arbitration protocol. For distributed delivery of interrupts, the master arbiter compares a current-task-priority-register value associated with each bus agent to determine the agent that is least busy for delivery of the interrupt thereto.

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