Method and System for Controlling an Interrupt Lock of a CPU of A Vehicle Control Unit in a User Mode

A system for controlling an interrupt lock of a CPU of a vehicle control unit in a user mode, comprising:

• the CPU;
• a lockout-time counter;
• an interrupt controller;
• and
• a lock-state register,
• wherein the lockout-time counter is configured to start a predefined lockout time subject to a condition for controlling the interrupt lock in the user mode, without switching to a supervisor mode that is hierarchically superior to the user mode, by writing a start bit to the lock-state register, whereby an interrupt deactivation signal is sent to an interrupt controller,
• wherein the interrupt controller is configured to execute a requested interrupt function by an executing code of an interrupt handler as soon as the interrupt lock is not present, and
• wherein the lockout-time counter is configured to release the interrupt lock in response to the condition being met by the executing code before the lockout time elapses, and at the latest, when the predefined, conditioned lockout time has elapsed.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which a computer program is stored, the computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to execute a method comprising:

• starting a predefined lockout time that is subject to a condition for controlling an interrupt lock in a user mode without switching to a supervisor mode that is hierarchically superior to the user mode, by writing a start bit to a lock-state register, whereby an interrupt deactivation signal is sent to an interrupt controller;
• executing an uninterrupted function by code executing in a code environment of the user mode during the interrupt lock bounded by the predefined, conditioned lockout time;
• and
• releasing the interrupt lock in response to and at time when the condition is met by the executing code before the lockout time elapses, and at the latest, at a time when the predefined lockout time subject to the condition has elapsed.