Methods and Systems for Time Keeping in a Data Processing System

A data processing system comprising:

• a processing system;
• an interrupt controller coupled to the processing system to provide a first interrupt signal to the processing system and to provide a second interrupt signal to the processing system, wherein the first interrupt signal receives a higher priority service from the processing system than the second interrupt signal;
• a timing circuit coupled to the interrupt controller, the processing system con figured to maintain a data structure of time-related events for a plurality of processes of different subsystems of the data processing system, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the timing circuit to specify a time, and wherein the timing circuit is configured to cause an assertion of the first interrupt signal in response to the time, and wherein the processing system is configured to cause the timing circuit to specify the time in response to selecting a time-related event from the data structure.

A machine implemented method comprising:

• selecting a time-related event from a data structure of time-related events for a plurality of processes of different subsystems;
• setting a timing circuit to specify a time in response to the selecting;
• asserting a first interrupt signal in response to the time occurring, wherein the timing circuit causes the assertion of a first interrupt signal by an interrupt controller.

A machine readable medium containing executable program instructions which cause a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

• selecting a time-related event from a data structure of time-related events for a plurality of processes of different subsystems;
• setting a timing circuit to specify a time in response to the selecting;
• asserting a first interrupt signal in response to the time occurring, wherein the timing circuit causes the assertion of a first interrupt signal by an interrupt controller.

A data processing system comprising:

• means for selecting a time-related event from a data structure of time-related events for a plurality of processes of different subsystems;
• means for setting a timing circuit to specify a time in response to the selecting;
• means for asserting a first interrupt signal in response to the time occurring, wherein the timing circuit causes the assertion of a first interrupt signal by an interrupt controller.