Questions : 1. Explain the 8085 interrupts system in detail. 3.

With
necessary diagrams, write short note on interrupt structure of 8085. 3.
Discuss the interrupts of 8085. 4. Describe the interrupts of 8085
microprocessor. 5. Define vector address. List the various interrupts of
8085 processor and elucidate the use of interrupt service routine.

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8085 Interrupt Structure and Operation

AU : May-04, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, Dec.-09, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18

1. Types of Interrupts

The 8085 has multilevel interrupt system. It supports two types of interrupts : a.
Hardware b. Software

Hardware : Some pins on the 8085 allow peripheral device to interrupt the
main program for I/O operations. When an interrupt occurs, the 8085 completes
the instruction it is currently executing and transfers the program control to a
subroutine that services the peripheral device. Upon completion of the service
routine, the MPU returns to the main program. These types of interrupts, where
MPU pins are used to receive interrupt requests, are called hardware interrupts.

Software : In software interrupts, the cause of the interrupt is an execution of

the instruction. These are special instructions supported by the microprocessor.
After execution of these instructions microprocessor completes the execution of
the instruction it is currently executing and transfers the program control to the
subroutine program. Upon completion of the execution of the subroutine
program, program control returns to the main program.
2. Overall Interrupt Structure

a. Hardware Interrupts in 8085

The 8085 has five hardware interrupts :

1. TRAP 2. RST 7.5 3. RST 6.5 4. RST 5.5 5. INTR

When any of these pins, except INTR, is active, the internal control circuit of
the 8085 produces a CALL to a predetermined memory location. This memory
location, where the subroutine starts is referred to as vector location or vector
address and such interrupts are called vectored interrupts. The INTR is not a
vectored interrupt. It receives the address of the subroutine from the external
device.

The Fig. 4.2.1 shows the interrupt structure of 8085. The figure indicates that,
the 8085 is designed to respond to edge triggering, level triggering or both.
TRAP : This interrupt is a non-maskable interrupt. It is unaffected by any mask
or interrupt enable. TRAP has the highest priority. TRAP interrupt is edge and
level triggered. This means that the TRAP must go high and remain high until it
is acknowledged. This avoids false triggering caused by noise and transients.

Once the TRAP is acknowledged, the 8085 completes its current instruction. It
then pushes the address of the next instruction i.e. return address onto the stack
and loads PC with the fixed vector address 0024H. Due to this, 8085 starts
execution of instructions from address 0024H which is the starting address of an
interrupt service routine for TRAP.

RST 7.5 : The RST 7.5 interrupt is a maskable interrupt. It has the second
highest priority. As shown in Fig. 4.2.1, it is positive edge triggered and the
positive edge trigger is stored internally by the D flip-flop until it is cleared by
software reset using SIM instruction or by internally generated
ACKNOWLEDGE signal.

The positive edge signal on the RST 7.5 pin sets the D flip-flop. If the mask bit
M 7.5 is 0 i.e. RST 7.5 is unmasked then 8085 completes its current instruction.
It then pushes the address of the next instruction onto the stack and loads PC
with the fixed vector address 003CH. Due to this, 8085 starts execution of
instructions from address 003CH which is the starting address of an interrupt
service routine for RST 7.5.

RST 6.5 and RST 5.5 : The RST 6.5 and RST 5.5 both are level triggered.
These interrupts can be masked using SIM instruction. The RST 6.5 has the
third priority whereas RST 5.5 has the fourth priority. The vector addresses of
RST 6.5 and RST 5.5 are 0034H and 002CH respectively. After recognition of
RST 6.5 or RST 5.5 interrupt, 8085 completes its current instruction; pushes the
address of next instruction onto the stack and loads PC with corresponding
vector address.

INTR : INTR is a maskable interrupt, but not the vector interrupt. It has the
lowest priority. The following sequence of events occur when INTR signal goes
high.

1. The 8085 checks the status of INTR signal during execution of each
instruction.
2. If INTR signal is high, then 8085 completes its current instruction and sends

an active low interrupt acknowledge signal if the interrupt is enabled.

3. In response to the signal, external logic places an instruction

OPCODE on the data bus. In the case of multibyte instruction, additional
interrupt acknowledge machine cycles are generated by the 8085 to transfer the
additional bytes into the microprocessor.

4. On receiving the instruction, the 8085 saves the address of next instruction on
stack and executes received instruction.

Note : Theoretically, the external logic can place any instruction code on the

data bus in response to the . However, only CALL and RST codes
save the contents of the PC on the stack and branch program control to the
subroutine address.

Response for RST instruction : If the external device places an opcode for any
one of the RST instruction (RST 0 - RST 7), then 8085 pushes the contents of
PC onto the stack. It then branches the program control to the vector address of
the corresponding RST instruction.

Response for CALL instruction : If the external device places an opcode for
CALL instruction then 8085 generates two additional interrupt acknowledge
cycles.

1. It sends an active low interrupt acknowledge signal second time.

2. In response to second signal, external logic places the lower byte

address for the CALL instruction.
3. After receiving lower byte address, 8085 sends the third interrupt
acknowledge signal.

4. In response to third signal, external logic places the higher byte

address for the CALL instruction.

5. After receiving sixteen bit address for CALL, 8085 pushes the contents of the
PC onto the stack and branches the program control to the subroutine whose
address is received from the external logic.

Table 4.2.1 shows the summary of hardware interrupts in 8085.

b. Software Interrupts in 8085

The 8085 has eight software interrupts from RST 0 to RST 7. The vector
address for these interrupts can be calculated as follows :

Interrupt number × 8 = Vector address

For example :

5 × 8 = 40 = 28H
.'. Vector address for interrupt RST 5 is 0028H.

The Table 4.2.2 shows the vector addresses of all interrupts.

3. Masking / Unmasking of Interrupts

As mentioned earlier, maskable interrupts are enabled and disabled under

program control. In this section we will see how interrupts can be masked or
unmasked using program control. There are four instructions used for control of
interrupts :

1. EI 2. DI 3. RIM 4. SIM

EI : Enable Interrupt

The EI instruction sets the interrupt enable flip-flop, as shown in Fig. 4.2.1.
Thus RST 7.5, RST 6.5, RST 5.5 and INTR are enabled using EI instruction.
It is important to note that when any interrupt is acknowledged, interrupt enable
flip-flop resets and disables all interrupts. To enable interrupt in further process
it is necessary to execute EI instruction within interrupt service routine.

DI : Disable Interrupt

The DI instruction resets the interrupt enable flip-flop, as shown in Fig. 4.2.1.
Thus it disables RST 7.5, RST 6.5, RST 5.5 and INTR interrupts.

SIM : Set Interrupt Mask

This instruction is used to set interrupt mask and to send serial output. It
transfers the contents of accumulator to interrupt control logic and serial I/O
port. Thus it is necessary to load appropriate contents in the accumulator before
execution of SIM instruction.

4. Pending Interrupts

The Read Interrupt Mask, RIM, instruction loads the status of the interrupt
mask, the pending interrupts and the contents of the serial input data line, SID,
into the accumulator. Thus, it is possible to monitor status of interrupt mask,
pending interrupts and serial input. There are number of interrupts. When one
interrupt is being serviced, other interrupt requests may occur. If the interrupt
requests are of higher priority, 8085 branches program control to the requested
interrupt service routines. But when the interrupt requests are of lower priority,
8085 stores the information about these interrupt requests. Such interrupts are
called pending interrupts. The status of pending interrupts can be monitored
using RIM instruction.
Example 4.2.1 Write an 8085 assembly language program by assuming that
microprocessor is completing an RST 7.5 interrupt request; check to see if RST
6.5 is pending. If it is pending, enable RST 6.5 without affecting any other
interrupts; otherwise return to the main program.

AU : Dec.-12, Marks 8

Solution :

RIM ; Read the status of pending interrupts using RIM instruction

MOV B, A ; Save the status in register B

ANI 20H ; Check whether RST 6.5 is pending

RZ ; If RST 6.5 is not pending return to main program

MOV A, B ; Get interrupt status in A register

ANI FDH ; Set DI = 0 to enable RST 6.5

ORI 08H; Set D3 = 1, for enabling interrupt enable flag

EI ; Set interrupt enable flip-flop

RET ; Return to main program

Review Questions

1. Explain the 8085 interrupts system in detail.

AU : May-04, Marks 10

2. Write short notes on vectored interrupts of 8085.

AU : May-07, Marks 8

3. With necessary diagrams, write short note on interrupt structure of 8085.

AU : May-08, 10, Dec.-11, Marks 6

4. Explain the interrupt structure of 8085 microprocessor.

AU : Dec.-13,15,17, May-14,17, Marks 16

5. Discuss the interrupts of 8085.

AU : Dec-09, May-12, Marks 10

6. What is TRAP interrupt and its significance ?

AU : May-12, Marks 2

7. Describe the interrupts of 8085 microprocessor.

AU : May-16, Marks 8

8. Describe the interrupts of 8085 and its types with service routine.

AU : May-18, Marks 7

9. Define vector address. List the various interrupts of 8085 processor and
elucidate the use of interrupt service routine.

AU : Dec.-18, Marks 13

Microprocessors and Microcontrollers: Unit I: (b) 8085 Interrupts : Tag: : Types - Overall
Structure - Masking / Unmasking - Pending Interrupts - 8085 Interrupt Structure and
Operation