Lecture

Exceptions: Control Flow and Handling

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Description

This lecture covers the concepts of exceptions, interrupts, faults, traps, and checks in computer systems. It explains how control flow can change unexpectedly due to special conditions, leading to the need for exception handlers. The lecture delves into various types of exceptions such as arithmetic problems, memory protection violations, I/O device requests, and undefined instructions. It also discusses the classification of exceptions, handling arithmetic exceptions, undefined instruction exceptions, and memory protection violations. Additionally, it explores levels of privilege in processor modes, tasks performed by processors on exceptions, and challenges in writing exception handlers. The lecture concludes by highlighting the complexities of handling exceptions in high-performance processor designs.

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Ontological neighbourhood

Computer engineering

High-performance computing: Real-time computing

Related concepts (32)

Manycore processor

Manycore processors are special kinds of multi-core processors designed for a high degree of parallel processing, containing numerous simpler, independent processor cores (from a few tens of cores to thousands or more). Manycore processors are used extensively in embedded computers and high-performance computing. Manycore processors are distinct from multi-core processors in being optimized from the outset for a higher degree of explicit parallelism, and for higher throughput (or lower power consumption) at the expense of latency and lower single-thread performance.

Interrupt

In digital computers, an interrupt (sometimes referred to as a trap) is a request for the processor to interrupt currently executing code (when permitted), so that the event can be processed in a timely manner. If the request is accepted, the processor will suspend its current activities, save its state, and execute a function called an interrupt handler (or an interrupt service routine, ISR) to deal with the event.

Memory protection

Memory protection is a way to control memory access rights on a computer, and is a part of most modern instruction set architectures and operating systems. The main purpose of memory protection is to prevent a process from accessing memory that has not been allocated to it. This prevents a bug or malware within a process from affecting other processes, or the operating system itself. Protection may encompass all accesses to a specified area of memory, write accesses, or attempts to execute the contents of the area.

Interrupt handler

In computer systems programming, an interrupt handler, also known as an interrupt service routine or ISR, is a special block of code associated with a specific interrupt condition. Interrupt handlers are initiated by hardware interrupts, software interrupt instructions, or software exceptions, and are used for implementing device drivers or transitions between protected modes of operation, such as system calls. The traditional form of interrupt handler is the hardware interrupt handler.

Exception handling

In computing and computer programming, exception handling is the process of responding to the occurrence of exceptions – anomalous or exceptional conditions requiring special processing – during the execution of a program. In general, an exception breaks the normal flow of execution and executes a pre-registered exception handler; the details of how this is done depend on whether it is a hardware or software exception and how the software exception is implemented.

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