Interruptions and Buffers Flashcards
What is an interrupt?
A signal sent from a device or software to the processor
What does the signal sent by the interrupt do?
It stops the job which the processor is currently carrying out temporarily to service the interrupt
What happens when the interrupt is received?
The processor either continues doing what it was doing or stops the current task to service the device/program which sent the interrupt
What do interrupts allow computers to do?
They allow computers to perform multiple tasks or have several windows open at the same time
How is the status of the currently running task saved?
It is done by using an interrupt handler
What happens once the interrupt has been serviced?
The status of the interrupted task is restored and it continues
How are buffers used in computers?
They are used as temporary memory
What is the purpose of buffers?
To speed things up
Where is data from a processor or memory unit stored?
In the buffer
