Software control of hardware interruptions

摘要

In a computer system including an interrupt processor for interrupting a program being processed by the computer system, a sub-system for processing interrupt requests to the interrupt processor. The sub-system comprises hardware circuit for generating hardware interrupt requests and control circuit for implementing control software where the control software causing software interrupt requests to be generated by said control circuit. An interrupt register stores and identifies both the hardware and software interrupt requests. A selection circuit selects and sends one of said stored interrupt request stored in the interrupt register to the interrupt processor for processing. The control circuit, under control of the control software, generates an end software interrupt requests for removing software interrupt request stored in the interrupt register such that software interrupt in the computer system can be generated and terminated under the control of the control software.