8085 Interrupts

LAKSHMI.B.E. 1
 Interrupts
Interrupt is a process where an external device
can get the attention of the microprocessor.
◦ The process starts from the I/O device
◦ The process is asynchronous.
TYPES OF INTERRUPT:

SOFTWARE
AND HARDWARE

VECTORED AND MASKABLE AND

NON VECTORED NON MASKABLE

LAKSHMI.B.E. 2
• Classification of Interrupts
– Interrupts can be classified into two types:
• Maskable Interrupts (Can be delayed or Rejected)
• Enable Or Disable By EI And DI Instruction

• Non-Maskable Interrupts (Can not be delayed or

Rejected)

• Interrupts can also be classified into:

• Vectored (the address of the service routine is hard-wired)
• Non-vectored (the address of the service routine needs to be supplied
externally by the device)

LAKSHMI.B.E. 3
 Interrupts
• An interrupt is considered to be an emergency
signal that may be serviced.
– The Microprocessor may respond to it as soon as
possible.

• What happens when MP is interrupted ?

– When the Microprocessor receives an interrupt signal,
it suspends the currently executing program and jumps
to an Interrupt Service Routine (ISR) to respond to the
incoming interrupt.
– Each interrupt will most probably have its own ISR.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 4
Responding to Interrupts
 Responding to an interrupt may be immediate
or delayed depending on whether the interrupt
is maskable or non-maskable and whether
interrupts are being masked or not.
 There are two ways of redirecting the execution
to the ISR depending on whether the interrupt is
vectored or non-vectored.

◦ Vectored: The address of the subroutine is already

known to the Microprocessor
◦ Non Vectored: The device will have to supply the
address of the subroutine to the Microprocessor
LAKSHMI.B.E. 5
 The 8085 Interrupts

VECTOR
Interrupt name Maskable Vectored
ADDRESS

TRAP No Yes 0024H

RST 7.5 Yes Yes 003CH

RST 6.5 Yes Yes 0034H

RST 5.5 Yes Yes 002CH

INTR Yes No --

6
 The 8085 Interrupts
• When a device interrupts, it actually wants the MP
to give a service which is equivalent to asking the
MP to call a subroutine. This subroutine is called
ISR (Interrupt Service Routine)
• The ‘EI’ instruction is a one byte instruction and is
used to Enable the non-maskable interrupts.
• The ‘DI’ instruction is a one byte instruction and is
used to Disable the non-maskable interrupts.
• The 8085 has a single Non-Maskable interrupt.
– The non-maskable interrupt is not affected by the value
of the Interrupt Enable flip flop.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 7
 The 8085 Interrupts
• The 8085 has 5 interrupt inputs.
– The INTR input.
• The INTR input is the only non-vectored interrupt.
• INTR is maskable using the EI/DI instruction pair.

– RST 5.5, RST 6.5, RST 7.5 are all automatically

vectored.
• RST 5.5, RST 6.5, and RST 7.5 are all maskable.

– TRAP is the only non-maskable interrupt in the 8085

• TRAP is also automatically vectored

LAKSHMI.B.E. 8
8085 Interrupts

LAKSHMI.B.E. 9
Interrupt Vectors and the Vector
Table
• An interrupt vector is a pointer to where the
ISR is stored in memory.
• All interrupts (vectored or otherwise) are
mapped onto a memory area called the
Interrupt Vector Table (IVT).
– The IVT is usually located in memory page 00
(0000H - 00FFH).
– The purpose of the IVT is to hold the vectors that
redirect the microprocessor to the right place when
an interrupt arrives.
LAKSHMI.B.E. 10
The 8085 Non-Vectored Interrupt
Process
1. The interrupt process should be enabled using the EI instruction.
2. The 8085 checks for an interrupt during the execution of every
instruction.
3. If INTR is high, MP completes current instruction, disables the
interrupt and sends INTA (Interrupt acknowledge) signal to the device
that interrupted
4. INTA allows the I/O device to send a RST instruction through data
bus.
5. Upon receiving the INTA signal, MP saves the memory location of the next
instruction on the stack and the program is transferred to ‘call’ location (ISR Call)
specified by the RST instruction

LAKSHMI.B.E. 11
 The 8085 Non-Vectored
Interrupt Process

6. Microprocessor Performs the ISR.

7. ISR must include the ‘EI’ instruction to enable the further
interrupt within the program.
8. RET instruction at the end of the ISR allows the MP to
retrieve the return address from the stack and the program
is transferred back to where the program was interrupted.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 12
 The 8085 Maskable/Vectored
Interrupts
• The 8085 has 4 Masked/Vectored interrupt inputs.
– RST 5.5, RST 6.5, RST 7.5
• They are all maskable.
• They are automatically vectored according to the following
table:
Interrupt Vector
RST 5.5 002CH
RST 6.5 0034H
RST 7.5 003CH

– The vectors for these interrupt fall in between the vectors for the
RST instructions. That’s why they have names like RST 5.5 (RST
5 and a half).

LAKSHMI.B.E. 13
 Masking RST 5.5, RST 6.5 and
RST 7.5
• These three interrupts are masked at two
levels:
– Through the Interrupt Enable flip flop and the
EI/DI instructions.
• The Interrupt Enable flip flop controls the whole
maskable interrupt process.
– Through individual mask flip flops that control the
availability of the individual interrupts.
• These flip flops control the interrupts individually.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 14
Maskable Interrupts and vector locations
RST7.5 Memory
RST 7.5

M 7.5

RST 6.5

M 6.5

RST 5.5

M 5.5

INTR

** See Fig 12.5 of the

Interrupt
Text Book for a
Enable
Flip Flop detailed look

LAKSHMI.B.E. 15
 The 8085 Maskable/Vectored Interrupt
Process

1. The interrupt process should be enabled using the EI

instruction.
2. The 8085 checks for an interrupt during the execution of
every instruction.
3. If there is an interrupt, and if the interrupt is enabled using
the interrupt mask, the microprocessor will complete the
executing instruction, and reset the interrupt flip flop.
4. The microprocessor then executes a call instruction that
sends the execution to the appropriate location in the
interrupt vector table.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 16
 The 8085 Maskable/Vectored Interrupt
Process

5. When the microprocessor executes the call instruction, it

saves the address of the next instruction on the stack.
6. The microprocessor jumps to the specific service routine.
7. The service routine must include the instruction EI to re-
enable the interrupt process.
8. At the end of the service routine, the RET instruction
returns the execution to where the program was
interrupted.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 17
 Manipulating the Masks
• The Interrupt Enable flip flop is manipulated
using the EI/DI instructions.

• The individual masks for RST 5.5, RST 6.5

and RST 7.5 are manipulated using the SIM
instruction.
– This instruction takes the bit pattern in the
Accumulator and applies it to the interrupt mask
enabling and disabling the specific interrupts.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 18
 How SIM Interprets the Accumulator
7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

M6.5
SDO

SDE

XXX

M5.5
M7.5
MSE
R7.5
Serial Data Out RST5.5 Mask

RST7.5 }
RST6.5 Mask 0 - Available
1 - Masked

Mask
Mask Set Enable
Enable Serial Data
0 - Ignore bits 0-2
0 - Ignore bit 7
1 - Set the masks according
1 - Send bit 7 to SOD pin
to bits 0-2

Not Used Force RST7.5 Flip Flop to reset

LAKSHMI.B.E. 19
 SIM and the Interrupt Mask
• Bit 0 is the mask for RST 5.5
• Bit 1 is the mask for RST 6.5
• Bit 2 is the mask for RST 7.5.
• If the mask bit is 0, the interrupt is available.
• If the mask bit is 1, the interrupt is masked.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 20
• Bit 3 (Mask Set Enable - MSE) is an enable for
setting the mask.
• If it is set to 0 the mask is ignored and the old
settings remain.
• If it is set to 1, the new setting are applied.
• The SIM instruction is used for multiple
purposes and not only for setting interrupt
masks.
– It is also used to control functionality such as Serial
Data Transmission.
– Therefore, bit 3 is necessary to tell the
microprocessor whether or not the interrupt masks
should be modified

LAKSHMI.B.E. 21
 SIM and the Interrupt Mask
• The RST 7.5 interrupt is the only 8085 interrupt that has memory.
– If a signal on RST7.5 arrives while it is masked, a flip flop will
remember the signal.
– When RST7.5 is unmasked, the microprocessor will be interrupted
even if the device has removed the interrupt signal.
– This flip flop will be automatically reset when the microprocessor
responds to an RST 7.5 interrupt.

• Bit 4 of the accumulator in the SIM instruction allows explicitly

resetting the RST 7.5 memory even if the microprocessor did not
respond to it.
• Bit 5 is not used by the SIM instruction

LAKSHMI.B.E. 22
 Using the SIM Instruction to Modify the Interrupt
Masks

• Example: Set the interrupt masks so that

RST5.5 is enabled, RST6.5 is masked, and
RST7.5 is enabled.
- Enable 5.5 bit 0 = 0

M7.5
M6.5
M5.5
SDO

MSE
R7.5
SDE
XXX
- Disable 6.5 bit 1 = 1
– First, determine the contents of the accumulator
- Enable 7.5 bit 2 = 0
- Allow setting the masks bit 3 = 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0
- Don’t reset the flip flop bit 4 = 0
- Bit 5 is not used bit 5 = 0
- Don’t use serial data bit 6 = 0 Contents of accumulator are: 0AH
- Serial data is ignored bit 7 = 0

EI ; Enable interrupts including INTR

MVI A, 0A ; Prepare the mask to enable RST 7.5, and 5.5, disable 6.5
SIM ; Apply the settings RST masks

LAKSHMI.B.E. 23
 Triggering Levels

• RST 7.5 is positive edge sensitive.

• When a positive edge appears on the RST7.5 line, a logic 1 is
stored in the flip-flop as a “pending” interrupt.
• Since the value has been stored in the flip flop, the line does
not have to be high when the microprocessor checks for the
interrupt to be recognized.
• The line must go to zero and back to one before a new
interrupt is recognized.

• RST 6.5 and RST 5.5 are level sensitive.

• The interrupting signal must remain present until the
microprocessor checks for interrupts.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 24
 Determining the Current
Mask Settings
• RIM instruction: Read Interrupt Mask
– Load the accumulator with an 8-bit pattern
showing the status of each interrupt pin and mask.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 25
RIM sets the Accumulator’s different bits

LAKSHMI.B.E. 26
 The RIM Instruction and the
Masks
• Bits 0-2 show the current setting of the mask for
each of RST 7.5, RST 6.5 and RST 5.5
• They return the contents of the three mask flip flops.
• They can be used by a program to read the mask settings in
order to modify only the right mask.

• Bit 3 shows whether the maskable interrupt

process is enabled or not.
• It returns the contents of the Interrupt Enable Flip Flop.
• It can be used by a program to determine whether or not
interrupts are enabled.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 27
 The RIM Instruction and the
Masks
• Bits 4-6 show whether or not there are pending
interrupts on RST 7.5, RST 6.5, and RST 5.5
• Bits 4 and 5 return the current value of the RST5.5 and
RST6.5 pins.
• Bit 6 returns the current value of the RST7.5 memory
flip flop.

• Bit 7 is used for Serial Data Input.

• The RIM instruction reads the value of the SID pin on
the microprocessor and returns it in this bit.

LAKSHMI.B.E. 28
 Pending Interrupts
• Since the 8085 has five interrupt lines,
interrupts may occur during an ISR and remain
pending.
– Using the RIM instruction, it is possible to can
read the status of the interrupt lines and find if
there are any pending interrupts.

– See the example of the class

LAKSHMI.B.E. 29
 TRAP
• TRAP is the only non-maskable interrupt.
– It does not need to be enabled because it cannot be
disabled.
• It has the highest priority amongst interrupts.
• It is edge and level sensitive.
– It needs to be high and stay high to be recognized.
– Once it is recognized, it won’t be recognized again
until it goes low, then high again.

• TRAP is usually used for power failure and

emergency shutoff.
LAKSHMI.B.E. 30
 Issues in Implementing INTR
Interrupts
• How long must INTR remain high?
– The microprocessor checks the INTR line one clock cycle before the
last T-state of each instruction.
– The INTR must remain active long enough to allow for the longest
instruction.
– The longest instruction for the 8085 is the conditional CALL
instruction which requires 18 T-states.
• Therefore, the INTR must remain active for 17.5 T-states.
• If f= 3MHZ then T=1/f and so, INTR must remain active for [
(1/3MHZ) * 17.5 ≈ 5.8 micro seconds].

LAKSHMI.B.E. 31
 Issues in Implementing INTR
Interrupts
• How long can the INTR remain high?
– The INTR line must be deactivated before the EI is
executed. Otherwise, the microprocessor will be
interrupted again.
– Once the microprocessor starts to respond to an
INTR interrupt, INTA becomes active (=0).

Therefore, INTR should be turned off as soon as

the INTA signal is received.
LAKSHMI.B.E. 32
The 8085 Interrupts

33
34
PIN 7
RST 7.5

M7.5’
R 7.5

RST 7.5
ACKNOWLEDGE
MENT

MSE
35
The End

… Thank you …

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