Interrupt message delivery identified by storage location of received interrupt data

In a system having a plurality of data processing elements each connected to each of a number of input/output devices by a communications network to communicate message packets therebetween, each of the message packets including address data identifying the destination of such message packet, the communications network including router elements to route the message packets based upon the address data, a method of delivering interrupts to notify a one of the plurality of processing elements of a condition occurring in a one of the number of input/output devices, comprising the steps of:

• providing the one of the plurality of processing elements with a data storage having a number of first locations for storing message packet data and a number of second locations for storing interrupt data;
• the one of the number of input/output devices sending an interrupt message packet containing interrupt data describing a condition occurring in the one input/output device and a first location address identifying a one of the number of second locations;
• receiving the interrupt message packet at the one processing element and storing the interrupt data at the one of the number of second locations;
• and
• recognizing that the storing step used a one of the number of second locations to cause the one processing element to examine the stored interrupt data to determine an interrupt action to be taken.

A method for delivering interrupts of the type that notify a processor element of a condition occurring in an input/output element, comprising the steps of:

• providing the processor element with a data storage unit having a first number of storage locations for message data and a second number of locations for interrupt data;
• coupling the processor element and the input/output element to one another for communicating multi-bit messages therebetween;
• the input/output element noting occurrence of the condition to send to the processor element an interrupt message containing interrupt data describing the condition and an address indicative of a one of the second number of locations;
• receiving the interrupt message at the first processor element to store the interrupt data at the one of the second number of locations indicated by the address;
• detecting that the storage of interrupt data is at the one of the second number of locations as receipt of an interrupt;
• and
• the processor element retrieving the stored interrupt data to determine the condition for action to be taken.

A data processing system having at least one processor element and a plurality of peripheral units interconnected by a communications network for communicating ordinary message packets containing message data and interrupt message packets containing interrupt data therebetween, a method of delivering interrupts that report a condition occurring in the peripheral units that includes the steps of:

• providing the processor element with data storage having a first storage area for storing data received in ordinary message packets and a second storage area for storing interrupt data;
• a one of the plurality of peripheral units noting an occurrence of the condition and sending an interrupt message packet having interrupt data describing the condition and an address indicative of the second storage area;
• receiving at the processor element the interrupt message packet to use the address to store the interrupt data in the second storage area as indicated by the address;
• recognizing the address as being indicative of the second storage area to cause the processor element to examine the stored interrupt data to determine an interrupt action to be taken.

Apparatus for delivering an interrupt from an input/output element to a processor element to notify the processor element of occurrence of a condition at the input/output element, including:

• a communication path connecting the input/output element to the processor element to communicate message packets therebetween;
• the input/output element having means for sending to the processor element on the communication path a message packet containing an address indicative of a storage area and interrupt data describing the condition;
• the processor element having a storage element including the storage area whereat the interrupt data received by the message packet is stored;
• and
• means in the processor element to detect the address contained in the received message packet to cause the processor element to examine the interrupt data in the storage area.