22.8.3.3 Interrupt Handlers

This section gives an overview of the fast interrupt handling sequence when using the AIC. It is assumed that the programmer understands the architecture of the ARM processor, and especially the Processor Interrupt modes and the associated status bits.

It is assumed that:

  1. The AIC has been programmed, AIC_SVR registers are loaded with corresponding interrupt service routine addresses and interrupts are enabled.
  2. The instruction at the ARM interrupt exception vector address is required to work with the vectoring. Load the PC with the absolute address of the interrupt handler.

When nIRQ is asserted, if the bit “I” of CPSR is 0, the sequence is as follows:

  1. The CPSR is stored in SPSR_irq, the current value of the Program Counter is loaded in the Interrupt link register (R14_irq) and the Program Counter (R15) is loaded with 0x18. In the following cycle during fetch at address 0x1C, the ARM core adjusts R14_irq, decrementing it by four.
  2. The ARM core enters Interrupt mode, if it has not already done so.
  3. When the instruction loaded at address 0x18 is executed, the program counter is loaded with the value read in AIC_IVR. Reading AIC_IVR has the following effects:
    • Sets the current interrupt to be the pending and enabled interrupt with the highest priority. The current level is the priority level of the current interrupt.
    • De-asserts the nIRQ line on the processor. Even if vectoring is not used, AIC_IVR must be read in order to de-assert nIRQ.
    • Automatically clears the interrupt, if it has been programmed to be edge-triggered.
    • Pushes the current level and the current interrupt number on to the stack.
    • Returns the value written in AIC_SVR corresponding to the current interrupt.
  4. The previous step has the effect of branching to the corresponding interrupt service routine. This should start by saving the link register (R14_irq) and SPSR_IRQ. The link register must be decremented by four when it is saved if it is to be restored directly into the program counter at the end of the interrupt. For example, the instruction SUB PC, LR, #4 may be used.
  5. Further interrupts can then be unmasked by clearing the “I” bit in CPSR, allowing re-assertion of the nIRQ to be taken into account by the core. This can happen if an interrupt with a higher priority than the current interrupt occurs.
  6. The interrupt handler can then proceed as required, saving the registers that will be used and restoring them at the end. During this phase, an interrupt of higher priority than the current level will restart the sequence from step 1.
    Note: If the interrupt is programmed to be level-sensitive, the source of the interrupt must be cleared during this phase.
  7. The “I” bit in CPSR must be set in order to mask interrupts before exiting to ensure that the interrupt is completed in an orderly manner.
  8. AIC_EOICR must be written in order to indicate to the AIC that the current interrupt is finished. This causes the current level to be popped from the stack, restoring the previous current level if one exists on the stack. If another interrupt is pending, with lower or equal priority than the old current level but with higher priority than the new current level, the nIRQ line is re-asserted, but the interrupt sequence does not immediately start because the “I” bit is set in the core. SPSR_irq is restored. Finally, the saved value of the link register is restored directly into the PC. This has the effect of returning from the interrupt to whatever was being executed before, and of loading the CPSR with the stored SPSR, masking or unmasking the interrupts depending on the state saved in SPSR_irq.
    Note: The “I” bit in SPSR is significant. If it is set, it indicates that the ARM core was on the verge of masking an interrupt when the mask instruction was interrupted. Hence, when SPSR is restored, the mask instruction is completed (interrupt is masked).