 When your phone rings during a lecture, what will happen?

 When you are studying then your cell phone rings – what will you do?

 When you finish talking on the phone then you will continue with
your study.

 Now your phone rings again and someone also knocking at your
door then what will you do?

 When being interrupted, you will perform some pre-defined

action.

 Interrupt has priority – some interrupt is more important than the

others. For example, answering your phone is more important
Introduction
 An interrupt is used to cause a temporary halt in the execution of
program.

 The meaning of ‘interrupts’ is to break the sequence of operation.

 While the Microprocessor is executing a program, an ‘interrupt’

breaks the normal sequence of execution of instructions, diverts
its execution to some other program called Interrupt Service
Routine (ISR).

After executing ISR, IRET returns the control back again to

the main program. Interrupt processing is an alternative to
polling.
Need for Interrupt:
 Interrupts are particularly useful when interfacing I/O devices,
that provide or require data at relatively low data transfer rate.

Sources of Interrupts:
Three types of interrupts sources are there:
1. An external signal applied to NMI or INTR input pin( hardware
interrupt)
2. Execution of Interrupt instruction( software interrupt)
3. Interrupt raised due to some error condition produced in 8086
instruction execution process. (Divide by zero, overflow errors
etc)
8086 Interrupt Sources
An 8086 interrupt can come from any one of the following three sources:

1. An external signal applied to the non-maskable interrupt (NMI

17 pin) pin or to the interrupt (INTR 18 pin) pin. An interrupt
caused by a signal applied to one of these inputs is called
hardware interrupt.

2. The execution of the instruction INT n, where n is the interrupt

type that can take any value between 00H and FFH. This is called
software interrupt.

3. An error condition such as divide-by-0, which is produced in the

8086 by the execution of the DIV/IDIV instruction or the trap
interrupt.
How to get key typed in the keyboard or a keypad?
 Polling :-
The CPU executes a program that check for the available of
data, If a key is pressed then read the data, otherwise keep waiting
or looping!!!
 Interrupt:-
The CPU executes other program, as soon as a key is pressed,
the Keyboard generates an interrupt. The CPU will response to the
interrupt read the data. After that returns to the original program. So
by proper use of interrupt, the CPU can serve many devices at the
“same time”
 Polling vs Interrupt
 The keyboard controller can hold only a single keystroke. Therefore, the
keyboard controller must be freed before the next keystroke arrives.
 The keystroke is passed to the CPU by putting it in the keyboard buffer. So, the
keyboard controller keeps on passing the keystroke input to the CPU,

But how does the CPU attend to it?

The CPU is not at the disposal of the keyboard controller; it is usually busy
doing several other operations. So, we need some mechanism to indicate to the
CPU that a keystroke has arrived. How is this done? There are two approaches to
making sure that the CPU pays attention:

 Polling-based
 Interrupt-based
Example: Polling Vs Interrupt

Keystroke causes interrupt

Polling Based System:-

Figure 2: Polling-based interrupt handling

 The CPU executes a program that check for the

available of data If a key is pressed then read the data,
otherwise keep waiting or looping!!!
Keystroke passed to the CPU

No keystroke for CPU

Interrupt-based systems

Interrupt-based approach
 The CPU executes other program, as soon as a key is
pressed, the Keyboard generates an interrupt. The CPU
will response to the interrupt – read the data. After
that returns to the original program. So by proper use
of interrupt, the CPU can serve many devices at the
“same time”
Example of interrupt

 How to control a robot that has sensors to

detect obstacles and makes a turn

Controlling a robot by using Polling &

Interrupt
 Polling
 Move forward in a pre-defined unit

 Check sensor reading

 Do nothing if no obstacle or turn if obstacle detected

 Loop back and move forward again

 Interrupt
 Keeping moving until interrupted by the sensor

 Interrupt received then do pre-defined operation

 After finishing the interrupt service return to normal

operation i.e keep moving forward again

Polling vs Interrupt Control of a robot

Move forward
Move forward

Check sensor

Y
obstacle

Stop or turn interrupt

How would the processor work with an Interrupt

How would the processor work with

an Interrupt ?
 Interrupts

Hardware Software Interrupts

Interrupts INT n

Maskable Nonmaskable 256 Types of

Interrupts Interrupts software Interrupts
INT 00 to INT FF

The programmer The programmer cannot

can choose to mask control when a non maskable
specific interrupts interrupt is served
and re-enable them
later The processor has to stop
the main program to execute
the NMI Service Routine.
Processing of Interrupt by the Processor

1. Executes the INT instruction

2. Interrupts the INT instruction during the assembly time

3. Moves the INT instruction to the Vector Table

 Vector Table occupies location 00000H to 0003FFh of the

program memory.

 It contains the code segment (CS) and Instruction Pointer (IP)

for each kind of interrupt.

8086 Interrupt Processing
If an interrupt has been requested, the 8086 Microprocessor processes it by
performing the following series of steps:
1. Pushes the content of the flag register onto the stack to preserve the status of
the interrupt (IF) and trap flags (TF), by decrementing the stack pointer (SP)
by 2
2. Disables the INTR interrupt by clearing IF in the flag register
3. Resets TF in the flag register, to disable the single step or trap interrupt
4. Pushes the content of the code segment (CS) register onto the stack by
decrementing SP by 2
5. Pushes the content of the instruction pointer (IP) onto the stack by
decrementing SP by 2
6. Performs an indirect far jump to the start of the interrupt service routine (ISR)
corresponding to the received interrupt.
Steps involved in processing an interrupt instruction by the processor
Executes the Interrupt instructions

Jumps to the Interrupt Vector Table

Takes the CS and IP in the Vector Table

Pushes the existing CS and IP on the Stack

Loads the new CS and IP

Jumps to the Interrupt Service Routine

Executes the Interrupt Service Routine

Comes back and continues the Main Program

Processing of an Interrupt by the 8086

Main Program Push flags register Interrupt Service

Clear IF and TF Routine (ISR)
Push CS and IP
Load CS and IP
Interrupt program
Interrupt :
:
:
Pop IP and CS :
Pop flags register :
:
IRET
RESET as a Non-maskable Interrupts
Process sequence in the processor

Completes the current instruction that is in progress

Pushes the Flag Register values on to the Stack

Pushes the CS value and IP value of the return address

on to the stack

IP is loaded from contents of the word location 00008H

CS is loaded from contents of next word location 0000AH

Interrupt Flag and Trap Flag are reset to 0.

 003FFH
IVT:- 003FCH
Type FFH Interrupt (Available)

Available Interrupts
(224)
Type 21H Interrupt (Available)
00084H
Type 20H Interrupt (Available)
00080H
Type 1FH Interrupt (Reserved)
0007CH
Reserved Interrupts
(27)
1 KB

Type 05H Interrupt (Reserved)

00014H
Type 04H Interrupt (Over Flow)
00010H
0000CH Type 03H Interrupt (Break Point)
Type 02H Interrupt (NMI)
00008H
Type 01H Interrupt Dedicated Interrupts
0004FH (Trap or Single step)
(05)
0003FH
CS 00002H
CSInterrupt
Type 00H
(Divide by Zero)
IP 00001H IP
00000H
 2 bytes 00002H 00003H
CS LSB CS MSB Type 0 or
INT 00 Interrupt
2 bytes 00000H 00001H
IP LSB IP MSB

CS LSB MSB

Given a vector, where is the ISR address stored in memory ?

Offset = Type number X 4

Example:- INT 02h

Offset = 02 x 4 = 08
= 00008h
256 Interrupts Of 8086 are Divided in To 3 Groups

1. Type 00 to Type 04 interrupts-

These are used for fixed operations and hence are called
dedicated interrupts

2. Type 05 to Type 31 interrupts

Not used by 8086,reserved for higher processors like 80286
80386 etc.

3. Type 32 to Type 255 interrupts

Available for user, called user defined interrupts these can be
H/W interrupts and activated through INTR line or can be S/W
interrupts.
Type – 0 :- Divide by Zero Error Interrupt
Quotient is large cant be fit in al/ax or divide by zero
Type –1:- Single step or Trap Interrupt
Used for executing the program in single step mode by setting
trap flag.
Type – 2:- Non-Maskable Interrupt
This interrupt is used for executing ISR of NMI pin (positive
edge signal), NMI can’t be masked by S/W.
Type – 3:- One-byte INT instruction interrupt
Used for providing break points in the program
Type – 4 Over flow Interrupt
Used to handle any overflow error after signed arithmetic.
BIOS Interrupt or Function Calls
 The BIOS (basic input/output system) is boot firmware, which is
designed to be the first program run by a PC when powered on.
 The initial function of the BIOS is to identify, test, and initialize
system devices such as the video display card, hard disk, floppy
disk, and other hardware.
 The BIOS prepares the machine for a known state, so that the
software stored on the compatible media can be loaded, executed,
and given control of the PC.
 BIOS function calls, also known as BIOS interrupts, are stored in
the system ROM and in the video BIOS ROM present in the PC.
 DOS interrupts
 INT 21h is provided by DOS.
 When MS-DOS is loaded into the computer, INT 21H can be
invoked to perform some extremely useful functions.
 These functions are commonly referred to as DOS INT 21H
function calls.
 Data input and output through the keyboard and monitor are the
most commonly used functions.
Below are two examples that use DOS interrupts.

1. Display the message defined with variable DATA DB

‘Microprocessor,’$’

MOV AH,09 Option 9 to display string of data

MOV DX, OFFSET DATA DX= offset address of data

INT 21H Invoke the interrupt
2. Inputting a single character, with echo.
MOV AH, 01 Option 01 to input one character
INT 21H Invoke the interrupt
 DOS (Disk Operating System) Interrupts
1. Function call 01: Read the key board
Input parameter AH = 01 read a character from keyboard. Echo it on CRO
screen and return the ASCII code of the key pressed in AL output parameter:
AL = ASCII code of character
2. Function call 02h: Display on CRT screen
Input parameter: AH = 02
Dl = ASCII character to be displayed on CRT screen
3. Function call 03: Read character from com1
Input parameter: AH = 03h
Function: Reads data from com port
Output parameter: AL = ASCII code of character
4. Function call 04: Write character to com1
Input parameter: AH = 04h DL = ASCII code of character to be transmitted
Function: Writes data to com port
5. Function call 05: Write to Lpt1
Input parameter: AL = 05H
DL = ASCII code of character to be printed
Function: Print the character available in dl on printer attached to Lpt1
6. Function call 09: Display a character string
Input parameter: AH = 09, DS:DX= Address of character string
Function: Displays the characters available in the string to CRT till a $ symbol
7. Function call 0Ah: Buffered key board input
Input parameter: AH = 0Ah
DS:DX = Address of keyboard input buffer
Function: The ASCII codes of the characters received from keyboard are stored
in keyboard buffer from 3rd byte. 1st byte of buffer = size of buffer upto 255. It
receives the characters till specified no.Of characters are received or enter key
is presses which ever is earlier
 BIOS interrupt
INT 10H subroutines are burned into the ROM BIOS of the
8086 based and compatibles and are used to communicate with the
computer user screen video. Much of the manipulation of screen text
or graphics is done through INT 10H. Among them are changing the
color of characters or background, clearing screen, and changing the
locations of cursor. Below are two examples that use BIOS interrupts.
1. Clearing the screen:
MOV AX, 0600H ;scroll entire screen
MOV BH, 07 ;normal attribute
MOV CX, 0000 ;start at 00,00
MOV DX, 184FH ;end at 18, 4F
INT 10H ;invoke the interrupt
 BIOS (Basic Input/output System) INTERRUPTS
INT 10H:Video Service Interrupt:-It Controls The Video Display
a) Function Call 00: Select Video Mode
Input Parameter: AL = Mode Number
AH = 00h
Function: It Changes The Display Mode And Clears The Screen
AL = 00 40 X 25 Black And White
AL = 04 320 X 200 Color
AL = 10h 640 X 350 X 16 Color
b) Function Call 03: Read Cursor Position
Input Parameter: AH = 03
BH = Page Number
Function: Reads Cursor Position On Screen
Output Parameters: CH = Starting Line
CL = Ending Line
DH = Current Row
DL = Current Column
C) Function Call 0E: Write Character On CRT Screen And Advance Cursor
Input Parameter: Ah = 0Eh
AH = ASCII Code Of The Character
BH = Page(text Mode)
BH = Color(graphics)
Function: Display Character Available In Al On Screen
Other Interrupts:-

INT 11H:- Determine the type of equipment installed. Register AX should contain
FFFFH and instruction INT 11H to be executed. On return, register AX will
indicate the equipment's attached to computer
INT14H:- Control the serial communication port attached to the computer. Ah
should contain the function call
a) Function Call 00:initialize The Com Port
b) Function Call 01: Send A Character
c) Function Call 02:receive A Character
INT 16H:- Keyboard interrupt AH should contain the function call
a) Function call 00: Read keyboard character, It will return ASCII code of the
character
b) Function call 01: Get key board status