Processor event recognition

A computer system comprising:

• a storage device having stored therein:
• an event descriptor table containing entries to handle an interrupt associated with processor and non-processor generated events in which an entry is overloaded to handle both processor and non-processor generated events;
• a first event handler for handling the processor generated event;
• a second event handler for handling the non-processor generated event;
• a processor coupled to said storage device, said processor including:
• an indication unit for altering the state of an indication to indicate if the event is a processor generated event type or a non-processor generated event type;
• and
• a retriever coupled to retrieve a corresponding entry in one of said event handlers pointed to by an entry in said event descriptor table when an interrupt is received, the pointed to event handler providing a routine for processing the interrupt if the indication indicates that the event type is handled by the pointed to event handler, otherwise providing another pointer to an entry in the other event handler for a routine for processing the interrupt, if the event is the other event-type not handled by the initially pointed to event handler.

In a computer system, a method for servicing events comprising:

• receiving a first event that is either a processor generated event or a system generated event;
• storing in response to delivery of said processor or system generated event an indication indicating whether said delivered event is said processor generated event or said system generated event;
• accessing a pointer which corresponds to said event, wherein said pointer identifies a selector in a first event handler, said pointer being overloaded for responding to different event types, but unable to differentiate between said processor generated event and system generated event;
• and
• accessing said selector in the first event handler pointed to by said pointer, said selector causing said processor to determine whether said event is said processor generated event or said system generated event based on said indication;
• if said event is said processor generated event, then executing a first instruction corresponding to said processor generated event, and
• if said event is said system generated event, then executing a second instruction corresponding to said system generated event, in which one of the first or second instruction causes a branch to a second event handler.

A method for altering data stored in a storage area to overload entries in an interrupt vector table, said method comprising:

• recognizing a plurality of different event types, wherein a event is mapped to an entry in an interrupt vector table, in which the entry includes an over-loaded pointer to process a processor generated event and a non-processor generated event;
• and
• altering the data to indicate whether the event is the processor generated event or the non-processor generated event;
• accessing the pointer to point to a selector;
• accessing the selector to map the event to a first event handler;
• accessing data in the first event handler and if the data indicates that the event is the processor generated event, then executing instructions present in the first handler to handle the processor generated event, otherwise branching to a second event handler pointed to by a pointer in the first handler to handle the non-processor generated event.