What type of interrupt handling involves the requesting device sending an interrupt to the operating system?

What type of interrupt handling involves the requesting device sending an interrupt to the operating system?

• A. System Call
• B. Polling
• C. Forwarding
• D. Vectored Interrupt System

Answer: (D)

The vectored interrupt system is a method of handling interrupts where each device is assigned a unique interrupt vector. When a device needs the attention of the operating system, it sends an interrupt signal that includes its vector number. This helps the operating system quickly identify the source of the interrupt and direct the control flow to the appropriate interrupt handler. This leads to efficient handling of interrupts, as it minimizes the time taken to determine the device that generated the interrupt. In contrast, other options do not represent this direct mechanism of interrupt signaling. A system call involves a process requesting a service from the operating system rather than a hardware device signaling it. Polling is a method where the operating system actively checks the status of devices at regular intervals rather than responding to a specific interrupt signal. Forwarding, while related to message or data routing, does not directly pertain to how interrupts from devices are handled in an operating system context. Thus, the vectored interrupt system clearly stands out as the correct choice for its specific method of handling device interrupts.

The vectored interrupt system is a method of handling interrupts where each device is assigned a unique interrupt vector. When a device needs the attention of the operating system, it sends an interrupt signal that includes its vector number. This helps the operating system quickly identify the source of the interrupt and direct the control flow to the appropriate interrupt handler. This leads to efficient handling of interrupts, as it minimizes the time taken to determine the device that generated the interrupt.

In contrast, other options do not represent this direct mechanism of interrupt signaling. A system call involves a process requesting a service from the operating system rather than a hardware device signaling it. Polling is a method where the operating system actively checks the status of devices at regular intervals rather than responding to a specific interrupt signal. Forwarding, while related to message or data routing, does not directly pertain to how interrupts from devices are handled in an operating system context. Thus, the vectored interrupt system clearly stands out as the correct choice for its specific method of handling device interrupts.