Circuit for arbitrating interrupts with programmable priority levels
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsGeoffrey Francis Burns, Ravi Kumar Kolagotla, Douglas J. Rhodes, Marck E. Thierbach
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for arbitrating the selection of an interrupt for servicing from a plurality of interrupts in which a priority level for each of the plurality of interrupts is programmed in a first register and each of the interrupts which is to be evaluated for selection for servicing is set as pending in a second register. Only a pending interrupt having a priority level above a pre-set current interrupt priority level is selected for servicing and where multiple pending interrupts of the same priority level occur, the one with the highest order bit position in the second register is used.
Claims14
Apparatus operating with a plurality of interrupts in which a pending interrupt is to be selected for servicing on a priority level basis, comprising:
- a first register having a plurality of interrupts each being programmed at one of a plurality of priority levels;
- a second register in which a state is set for certain of said plurality of interrupts to be in a pending state so as to be evaluated for selection for servicing;
- and
- an arbitration circuit responsive to the data in said first and second registers programmed to select and pass for servicing one interrupt of a pending state having a predetermined one or more of said plurality of priority levels.
A method for arbitrating among a plurality of interrupts in which a pending interrupt is to be selected for servicing on a priority level basis, comprising:
- programming in a single first register one of a plurality of priority levels for each of said plurality of interrupts;
- setting in a second register a pending state for certain of said plurality of interrupts to be evaluated for selection for servicing;
- and
- selecting and passing for servicing only an interrupt of a pending state of at least one predetermined one of said plurality of priority levels based upon the data in said first and second registers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.