Abstract: A method for processing an interrupt signal within a microprocessor based system is described. The method includes storing a received interrupt signal within an interrupt cause register of an interrupt controller, outputting an interrupt command from the interrupt controller to an interrupt collector, asserting an interrupt signal to the microprocessor from the interrupt collector, and shifting the cause value field into a cause array. The interrupt command include an identifier field, a cause register ID field, and a cause value field, and content of the cause value field is based on a content of the interrupt cause register. The interrupt signal is asserted based on receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field by the interrupt collector, and the shifting of the cause value field into a cause array within the interrupt collector occurs while the microprocessor services the receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field from the interrupt collector.

Abstract: A method for completing a data transfer over multiple data buses is disclosed. The method involves initiating a transfer of designated data through at least one bridging device and including a data key to immediately follow the data transfer, the data key and the designated data transferred along an identical data path. The method also involves continually transferring at least a portion of the designated data until the data key is received at a destination device.

Abstract: A method for processing an interrupt signal within a microprocessor based system is described. The method includes storing a received interrupt signal within an interrupt cause register of an interrupt controller, outputting an interrupt command from the interrupt controller to an interrupt collector, asserting an interrupt signal to the microprocessor from the interrupt collector, and shifting the cause value field into a cause array. The interrupt command include an identifier field, a cause register ID field, and a cause value field, and content of the cause value field is based on a content of the interrupt cause register. The interrupt signal is asserted based on receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field by the interrupt collector, and the shifting of the cause value field into a cause array within the interrupt collector occurs while the microprocessor services the receipt of the identifier field and cause register ID field from the interrupt collector.