megszakításvektor

A megszakításvektor, sometimes translated as interrupt vector or interrupt pointer, is a fundamental concept in computer architecture related to interrupt handling. It refers to an entry in a special table or array, known as the interrupt vector table, which stores the memory addresses of interrupt service routines (ISRs). When an interrupt occurs, such as a hardware device signaling a request or a software exception being triggered, the processor uses the interrupt type or number to look up the corresponding entry in the interrupt vector table. This entry then provides the starting address of the specific ISR that should be executed to handle that particular interrupt.

The interrupt vector table is typically located at a fixed, known address in memory. Each interrupt source is assigned a unique interrupt number. This number serves as an index into the interrupt vector table. By using this indirect addressing mechanism, the processor can efficiently dispatch control to the appropriate interrupt handler without needing to know the exact location of every ISR in advance. This separation of interrupt notification and interrupt handling logic makes systems more flexible and easier to manage. Early computer systems often had dedicated hardware registers for each interrupt source, but the interrupt vector table approach became more prevalent for its scalability and modularity.