System and method for managing interrupts
AssigneeQLOGIC, Corporation
InventorsShashank J. Pandhare, Thanh N. Nguyen, Ronald M. Mercer, Ying P. Lok
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and system for managing interrupts originating from multiple sources is provided. The method includes assigning interrupt sources to a group; notifying an adapter of interrupt groups; identifying each interrupt group; writing a first interrupt to an interrupt module, where the interrupt occurs from a first source of the multiple sources; monitoring for a second interrupt; suspending the second interrupt until the first interrupt is processed, if the second interrupt is requested from the first source; and processing the second interrupt, if the second interrupt occurs from a source other than the first source.
Claims16
A method for managing interrupts, comprising:
- (a) assigning a first plurality of interrupt sources of an adapter to a first interrupt group;
- (b) assigning a second plurality of interrupt sources of the adapter to at least a second interrupt group;
- (c) notifying the adapter of the first interrupt group and the second interrupt group;
- (d) writing a first interrupt to an interrupt module, wherein the first interrupt is received from a first interrupt source of the first plurality of interrupt sources of the first interrupt group;
- (e) receiving a second interrupt;
- (f) suspending the second interrupt until the first interrupt is processed, if the second interrupt is requested from a second interrupt source within the first interrupt group;
- and
- (g) processing the second interrupt, while the first interrupt is being processed, if the second interrupt is received from an interrupt source of the second interrupt group.
A system for managing interrupts, comprising:
- a host system that establishes a network connection via a network adapter;
- wherein the adapter includes a plurality of interrupt sources for generating interrupts and an interrupt module for holding the interrupts generated from the plurality of interrupt sources;
- wherein some of the plurality of interrupt sources are assigned to a first interrupt group and some of the other plurality of interrupt sources are assigned to at least a second interrupt group;
- wherein a first interrupt received from an interrupt source of the first interrupt group is processed and if a second interrupt from another interrupt source of the first interrupt group is received while the first interrupt is being processed, then the second interrupt is suspended until the first interrupt processing is complete;
- and
- wherein the second interrupt is processed while the first interrupt is being processed, if the second interrupt is received from an interrupt source from the second interrupt group.
A network adapter coupled to a host system comprising:
- a plurality of interrupt sources for generating interrupts;
- and
- an interrupt module for holding the interrupts generated from the plurality of interrupt sources;
- wherein some of the plurality of interrupt sources are assigned to a first interrupt group and some of the other plurality of interrupt sources are assigned to at least a second interrupt group;
- wherein a first interrupt received from an interrupt source of the first interrupt group is processed and if a second interrupt from another interrupt source of the first interrupt group is received while the first interrupt is being processed, then the second interrupt is suspended until the first interrupt processing is complete;
- and
- wherein the second interrupt is processed while the first interrupt is being processed, if the second interrupt is received from an interrupt source from the second interrupt group.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.