Interprocessor interrupt processing system

Abstract

An interprocessor interrupt hardware unit ('IIU') for processing interrupts between a remote processor and a host processor on a multiprocessor system. The IIU off loads tasks involved in processing interrupts from the operating kernel of the remote processor. Control blocks of interrupt information and commands are stored in Data Random Access Memory (DRAM) by the remote processor. The remote processor sets up a buffer of control block memory addresses in DRAM for the IIU to access to retrieve the control blocks from DRAM. The IIU retrieves a control block and loads the control block into registers. The IIU then issues an interrupt request to the host processor. The host processor receives the interrupt request and reads the registers to obtain the control block. The host processor clears the interrupt request and indicates to the IIU that the interrupt has been processed. The IIU then notifies the remote processor that the interrupt has been processed. The IIU may be programmed to notify the remote processor of completion either by an interrupt or by setting a status flag in the DRAM.