Patent ID: 8015337
Filing Date: 2011-09-06
Classification: G06F,Y02D

Abstract:
1. Interrupt detection circuitry for detecting and outputting interrupt requests to a processor, said circuitry comprising: an interrupt signal input for receiving said interrupt requests; output circuitry for outputting said interrupt requests to said processor; a detection circuit, responsive to said processor indicating current processing of an interrupt in response to one of said interrupt requests, for detecting a change in value of a signal received at said interrupt request input caused by assertion of another interrupt request and for outputting said another interrupt request to said output circuitry; and disabling logic, responsive to said processor not currently processing said interrupt, for disabling at least a portion of said detection circuitry, said detection circuit with said at least a portion disabled, is configured to output said signal received at said interrupt request input as said interrupt request to said output circuitry, wherein said processor provides a taken signal indicating said processor is commencing processing of said interrupt and a return signal indicating said processor has completed processing of said interrupt, and said disabling logic is configured to disable said at least a portion of said detection circuit in response to receipt of said return signal and to enable said at least a portion of said detection circuit in response to receipt of said taken signal.