Interrupt Architecture

Practically all peripheral devices use interrupts to inform the operating system that certain actions need to be taken to provide services for those devices. A device driver must process an interrupt in order to provide a necessary service to a peripheral device.

A physical interrupt request (IRQ) is a hardware line by which a device sends an interrupt signal to a microprocessor. A system interrupt (SYSINTR) is a mapping of the IRQ for which an OAL is responsible.

Some peripheral devices do not generate microprocessor interrupts. In those cases, a device controller processes interrupts.

Under Windows Embedded CE, interrupt processing is divided into two parts: interrupt service routine (ISR) and interrupt service thread (IST). ...

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