Description
The purpose of this exercise is to investigate the use of interrupts for the ARM* processor, using assemblylanguage code. To do this exercise you need to be familiar with the exceptions processing mechanisms for the
ARM processor, and with the operation of the ARM Generic Interrupt Controller (GIC). These concepts are
discussed in the tutorials Introduction to the ARM Processor, and Using the ARM Generic Interrupt Controller.
We assume that you are using the DE1-SoC Computer to implement the solutions to this exercise. It may be
useful to read the parts of the documentation for this computer systems that pertain to the use of exceptions and
interrupts.
Part I
Consider the main program shown in Figure 1. The code first sets the exceptions vector table for the ARM
processor using a code section called .vectors. Then, in the .text section the main program needs to set up the stack
pointers (for both interrupt mode and supervisor mode), initialize the generic interrupt controller (GIC), configure
the KEY pushbuttons port to generate interrupts, and finally enable interrupts in the processor. You are to fill in
the code that is not shown in the figure.
The function of your program is to show the numbers 0 to 3 on the HEX0 to HEX3 displays, respectively, when
a corresponding KEY pushbutton is pressed. Since the main program simply “idles” in an endless loop, as shown
in Figure 1, you have to control the displays by using an interrupt service routine for the KEY pushbuttons port.
Perform the following:
1. Create a new folder to hold your solution for this part. Create a file, such as part1.s, and type the assembly
language code for the main program into this file.
2. Create any other source code files you may want. Include with your project the code for the CONFIG_GIC
subroutine that initializes the GIC. This file, which is provided for you, sets up the GIC to send interrupts to
the ARM processor from the KEY pushbuttons port (and timers that are used later in this lab exercise).
3. The bottom part of Figure 1 gives the code required for the interrupt handler, SERVICE_IRQ. You have to
write the code for the KEY_ISR interrupt service routine. Your code should show the digit 0 on the HEX0
display when KEY0 is pressed, and then if KEY0 is pressed again the display should be “blank”. You should
toggle the HEX0 display between 0 and “blank” in this manner each time KEY0 is pressed. Similarly, toggle
between “blank” and 1, 2, or 3 on the HEX1 to HEX3 displays each time KEY1, KEY2, or KEY3 is pressed,
respectively.
Figure 2 provides code, using just simple loops, which can be used for the other ARM exception handlers.
4. Make a new Monitor Program project in the folder where you stored your source-code files. In the Monitor
Program screen illustrated in Figure 3, make sure to choose Exceptions in the Linker Section Presets dropdown menu. Compile, download, and test your program.
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.section .vectors, “ax”
B _start // reset vector
B SERVICE_UND // undefined instruction vector
B SERVICE_SVC // software interrupt vector
B SERVICE_ABT_INST // aborted prefetch vector
B SERVICE_ABT_DATA // aborted data vector
.word 0 // unused vector
B SERVICE_IRQ // IRQ interrupt vector
B SERVICE_FIQ // FIQ interrupt vector
.text
.global _start
_start:
/* Set up stack pointers for IRQ and SVC processor modes */
… code not shown
BL CONFIG_GIC // configure the ARM generic
// interrupt controller
/* Configure the KEY pushbuttons port to generate interrupts */
… code not shown
/* Enable IRQ interrupts in the ARM processor */
… code not shown
IDLE:
B IDLE // main program simply idles
/* Define the exception service routines */
SERVICE_IRQ: PUSH {R0-R7, LR}
LDR R4, =0xFFFEC100 // GIC CPU interface base address
LDR R5, [R4, #0x0C] // read the ICCIAR in the CPU
// interface
KEYS_HANDLER:
CMP R5, #73 // check the interrupt ID
UNEXPECTED: BNE UNEXPECTED // if not recognized, stop here
BL KEY_ISR
EXIT_IRQ: STR R5, [R4, #0x10] // write to the End of Interrupt
// Register (ICCEOIR)
POP {R0-R7, LR}
SUBS PC, LR, #4 // return from exception
Figure 1: Main program and interrupt service routine.
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/* Undefined instructions */
SERVICE_UND:
B SERVICE_UND
/* Software interrupts */
SERVICE_SVC:
B SERVICE_SVC
/* Aborted data reads */
SERVICE_ABT_DATA:
B SERVICE_ABT_DATA
/* Aborted instruction fetch */
SERVICE_ABT_INST:
B SERVICE_ABT_INST
SERVICE_FIQ:
B SERVICE_FIQ
.end
Figure 2: Exception handlers.
Figure 3: Selecting the Exceptions linker section.
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Part II
Consider the main program shown in Figure 4. The code has to set up the ARM stack pointers for interrupt
and supervisor modes, and then enable interrupts. The subroutine CONFIG_GIC has to configure the GIC to send
interrupts to the ARM processor from two sources: an Interval Timer and the KEY pushbuttons port. The main
program calls the subroutines CONFIG_TIMER and CONFIG_KEYS to set up the two ports. You are to write
each of these subroutines. In CONFIG_TIMER set up the Interval Timer, which is implemented in the FPGA
and has the base address 0xFF202000, to generate one interrupt every 0.25 seconds. This timer is described in
Section 2.11 of the documentation for the DE1-SoC Computer System.
In Figure 4 the main program executes an endless loop writing the value of the global variable COUNT to the red
lights LEDR. In the interrupt service routine for the Interval Timer you are to increment the variable COUNT by
the value of the RUN global variable, which should be either 1 or 0. You are to toggle the value of the RUN global
variable in the interrupt service routine for the KEYs, each time a KEY is pressed. When RUN = 0, the main
program will display a static count on the red lights, and when RUN = 1, the count shown on the red lights will
increment every 0.25 seconds.
Make a new folder and Monitor Program project for this part, and assemble, download, and test your code.
Part III
Modify your program from Part II so that you can vary the speed at which the counter displayed on the red
lights is incremented. All of your changes for this part should be made in the interrupt service routine for the
KEYs. The main program and the rest of your code should not be changed.
Implement the following behavior. When KEY0 is pressed, the value of the RUN variable should be toggled, as in
Part I. Hence, pressing KEY0 stops/runs the incrementing of the COUNT variable. When KEY1 is pressed, the rate
at which COUNT is incremented should be doubled, and when KEY2 is pressed the rate should be halved. You
should implement this feature by stopping the Interval Timer within the KEYs interrupt service routine, modifying
the load value used in the timer, and then restarting the timer.
Part IV
For this part you are to add a third source of interrupts to your program, using the A9 Private Timer. Set up the
timer to provide an interrupt every 1/100 of a second. Use this timer to increment a global variable called TIME.
You should use the TIME variable as a real-time clock that is shown on the seven-segment displays HEX3 − 0.
Use the format SS:DD, where SS are seconds and DD are hundredths of a second. You should be able to stop/run
the clock by pressing pushbutton KEY3. When the clock reaches 59:99, it should wrap around to 00:00.
Make a new folder to hold your solution for this part. Modify the main program from Part III to call a new
subroutine, named CONFIG_PRIV_TIMER, which sets up the A9 Private Timer to generate the required interrupts.
To show the TIME variable in the real-time clock format SS:DD, you can use the same approach that was followed
for Part 4 of Lab Exercise 4. In that previous exercise you used polled I/O with the private timer, whereas now you
are using interrupts. One possible way to structure your code is illustrated in Figure 5. In this version of the code,
the endless loop in the main program writes the value of a variable named HEX_code to the HEX3 − 0 displays.
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.section .vectors, “ax”
… code not shown
.text
.global _start
_start:
/* Set up stack pointers for IRQ and SVC processor modes */
… code not shown
BL CONFIG_GIC // configure the ARM generic
// interrupt controller
BL CONFIG_TIMER // configure the Interval Timer
BL CONFIG_KEYS // configure the pushbutton
// KEYs port
/* Enable IRQ interrupts in the ARM processor */
… code not shown
LDR R5, =0xFF200000 // LEDR base address
LOOP:
LDR R3, COUNT // global variable
STR R3, [R5] // write to the LEDR lights
B LOOP
/* Configure the Interval Timer to create interrupts at 0.25 second intervals */
CONFIG_TIMER:
… code not shown
BX LR
/* Configure the pushbutton KEYS to generate interrupts */
CONFIG_KEYS:
… code not shown
BX LR
/* Global variables */
.global COUNT
COUNT: .word 0x0 // used by timer
.global RUN // used by pushbutton KEYs
RUN: .word 0x1 // initial value to increment
// COUNT
.end
Figure 4: Main program for Part II.
Using the scheme in Figure 5, the interrupt service routine for the private timer has to increment the TIME variable,
and also update the HEX_code variable that is being written to the 7-segment displays by the main program.
Make a new Monitor Program project and test your program.
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.text
.global _start
_start:
/* Set up stack pointers for IRQ and SVC processor modes */
… code not shown
BL CONFIG_GIC // configure the ARM generic
// interrupt controller
BL CONFIG_PRIV_TIMER // configure the private timer
BL CONFIG_TIMER // configure the Interval Timer
BL CONFIG_KEYS // configure the pushbutton
// KEYs port
/* Enable IRQ interrupts in the ARM processor */
… code not shown
LDR R5, =0xFF200000 // LEDR base address
LDR R6, =0xFF200020 // HEX3-0 base address
LOOP:
LDR R4, COUNT // global variable
STR R4, [R5] // light up the red lights
LDR R4, HEX_code // global variable
STR R4, [R6] // show the time in format
// SS:DD
B LOOP
/* Configure the MPCore private timer to create interrupts every 1/100 seconds */
CONFIG_PRIV_TIMER:
… code not shown
BX LR
/* Configure the Interval Timer to create interrupts at 0.25 second intervals */
CONFIG_TIMER:
… code not shown
BX LR
/* Configure the pushbutton KEYS to generate interrupts */
CONFIG_KEYS:
… code not shown
BX LR
/* Global variables */
.global COUNT
COUNT: .word 0x0 // used by timer
.global RUN // used by pushbutton KEYs
RUN: .word 0x1 // initial value to increment COUNT
.global TIME
TIME: .word 0x0 // used for real-time clock
.global HEX_code
HEX_code: .word 0x0 // used for 7-segment displays
.end
Figure 5: Main program for Part IV.
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