Comprehensive Explanations for Interrupts Assignment
1. Define Interrupts
An interrupt is a signal that prompts the processor to temporarily halt its current operations and execute a
specific task, known as an Interrupt Service Routine (ISR). Interrupts are essential for responding to real-time
events in a computer system. Their primary purposes include:
- Allowing devices or software to signal the CPU about important events.
- Improving efficiency by handling tasks asynchronously.
- Facilitating multitasking and real-time operations.
For example, when you press a key on the keyboard, it generates a hardware interrupt to notify the processor
about the input. This allows the system to process the input without constantly polling the keyboard.
2. Types of Interrupts
Interrupts can be classified into two main types:
1. **Hardware Interrupts**:
- Generated by external hardware devices.
- Examples: Keyboard input, mouse movement, hardware timers.
- Hardware interrupts allow the CPU to handle real-time events from external devices.
2. **Software Interrupts**:
- Generated by executing specific instructions in the program.
- Examples: System calls (e.g., using `INT` instructions), exceptions (e.g., division by zero).
- Software interrupts enable efficient communication between applications and the operating system.
3. Interrupt Instructions
Interrupt instructions are used to handle and process interrupts in assembly programming. Key instructions
include:
- **INT**: Executes a software interrupt by invoking the ISR associated with a specific interrupt vector.
- **INTO**: Triggers an interrupt if the overflow flag (OF) is set, typically used for arithmetic operations.
- **INT 3**: Used as a breakpoint interrupt for debugging.
- **IRET**: Ends an ISR and restores the processor's state to resume normal execution.
Example Code:
```
MOV AX, 09h
LEA DX, Message
INT 21h ; Display message using DOS interrupt.
IRET ; Return from interrupt.
```
4. Real Mode vs. Protected Mode
Real mode and protected mode are operating modes of x86 processors:
- **Real Mode**:
- Accesses only 1 MB of memory.
- Lacks memory protection and multitasking capabilities.
- Uses a single Interrupt Vector Table (IVT).
- **Protected Mode**:
- Allows access to a larger memory space (up to 4 GB).
- Supports multitasking, memory protection, and virtual memory.
- Provides privilege levels to separate user and kernel mode.
Protected mode addresses the limitations of real mode by enabling more advanced features.
5. Interrupt Flag Bits
The Interrupt Flag (IF) in the processor's flag register controls the enabling or disabling of hardware interrupts:
- **IF = 1**: Hardware interrupts are enabled and processed.
- **IF = 0**: Hardware interrupts are disabled and ignored.
This allows critical sections of code to execute without interruptions.
6. Interrupt Vector Table
The Interrupt Vector Table (IVT) is a data structure used to store the addresses of Interrupt Service Routines
(ISRs). In real mode, it is located at memory address 0x0000 and contains 256 entries, each 4 bytes long
(segment and offset addresses).
7. Steps in Interrupt Processing
The steps involved in interrupt processing are:
1. Save the current program counter (PC) and flags register on the stack.
2. Disable further interrupts by clearing the IF.
3. Load the ISR address from the IVT.
4. Execute the ISR.
5. Use IRET to restore the saved state and resume execution.
8. Handling Hardware Interrupts
Hardware interrupts are managed by an interrupt controller, such as the 8259 Programmable Interrupt
Controller (PIC). The PIC prioritizes and forwards interrupt requests to the CPU, ensuring critical tasks are
handled promptly.
9. Nested Interrupts
Nested interrupts occur when a higher-priority interrupt preempts an ongoing ISR. The CPU handles this by:
- Saving the state of the current ISR.
- Executing the higher-priority ISR.
- Resuming the original ISR upon completion.
This mechanism ensures the most critical tasks are prioritized.
10. Practical Application
Example Assembly Program:
```
MOV AH, 01h ; Read character from keyboard
INT 16h ; BIOS keyboard interrupt
CMP AL, 'q' ; Check if input is 'q'
JE EXIT ; Exit if 'q' is pressed
MOV AH, 0Eh ; Display character
INT 10h
JMP $ ; Infinite loop
EXIT:
MOV AH, 4Ch ; Exit
INT 21h
```
This program demonstrates handling keyboard input using BIOS interrupts.
