8051 Interrupts

interrupt : event which interrupts normal program execution

Allow 8051 to provide the illusion of "multi-tasking," although in reality

the 8051 is only doing one thing at a time.

On receiving interrupt/event :
• program temporarily puts "on hold" the normal execution of program
• program executes special section of code referred to as an interrupt
handler or Interrupt Service Routine (ISR) :
• ISR performs whatever special functions are required to
handle the event
• ISR returns control to the 8051 at which point program
execution continues as if it had never been interrupted
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 Interrupts : summary
• The main program never even knows it was interrupted

• Without interrupts, the program would have to manually check

for occurrence of several types of events : this is inefficient &
cumbersome. Interrupts remove the need to check for a condition.

• The Microcontroller itself checks for condition automatically.

If met program jumps to an ISR, executes the code and then
returns

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Events/interrupts which trigger execution of ISR ?
• timers overflowing
• receiving character via the serial port
• transmitting character via the serial port
• one of two "external events“

• Example : in a large program, automatically toggle P3.0 port on

each overflow of timer 0 (defined as 16 bit wide counter/timer)
…

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 Example : using code within main program
• startLoop : JNB TF0,SKIP_TOGGLE ; determine timer 0 overflowed
; is TF0 flag set ?
; [timer o’flows every 65536 cycles for 16 bit timer configuration]
; jnb : takes 2 instruction cycles

CPL P3.0 ; 1 instr cycle – only execute if timer o’flowed

CLR TF0 ; 1 instr cycle

SKIP_TOGGLE:
; remaining 98 program instructions
SJMP startLoop

• Assume entire program code consumes 100 instruction cycles (98 instruction cycles plus the
2 that are executed every iteration to determine whether or not timer 0 has overflowed).
• Code executed 65536/100 = 655 times between each timer 0 overflow
• JNB instruction is performed a total of 2 x 655 (1310) instruction cycles between timer 0
overflows
• Also add another 2 instruction cycles to perform the P3.0 toggling code
• So, 1312/65536 = 2.002% of the processor time is being spent just checking whether to
toggle P3.0 !
• …. and the code is ugly

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 Example : using interrupts
ISR subroutine would be nothing more than

CPL P3.0
RETI

• Every 65536 instruction cycles the program executes the CPL instruction
and the RETI instruction
• Require 3 instruction cycles rather than 1312 instruction cycles.
• Code is more efficient and easier to read & understand.
• So, setup the interrupt and forget about it, secure in the knowledge that
the 8051 will execute the code whenever necessary

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 Interrupts and the serial (Rx) port
• Same idea applies to receiving data via serial port :
– rather than continuously checking status of the RI flag in an
endless loop (and running the risk of missing characters)
– With interrupts, the 8051 puts the main program on hold
– receive ISR handles the reception of a character without losing
characters

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 Interrupt Trigger Events and ISR code location ?
Interrupt Flag Interrupt Handler Address

External event 0 IE0 0003h

Timer 0 o’flow TF0 000Bh
External event 1 IE1 0013h
Timer 1 o’flow TF1 001Bh
Serial char rx/tx event RI/TI 0023h

e.g., when Timer 0 o’flows (i.e., TF0 bit set), main program
temporarily suspends and control jumps to 000BH (assumed that
code exists at 000BH to handle this situation).
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Setting Up Interrupts – IE SFR A8h
Bit Name Bit Address Explanation of Function
7 EA AFh Global Interrupt Enable/Disable
6 - AEh Undefined
5 - ADh Undefined
4 ES ACh Enable Serial Interrupt
3 ET1 ABh Enable Timer 1 Interrupt
2 EX1 AAh Enable External 1 Interrupt
1 ET0 A9h Enable Timer 0 Interrupt
0 EX0 A8h Enable External 0 Interrupt

• Each 8051’s interrupt has its own bit in the IE SFR

• All interrupts disabled on powerup.
• Example : enable Tmr1 Interrupt, execute MOV IE,#08h or SETB ET1
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 EA bit : Global Interrupt Enable/Disable
• before any interrupt is fully enabled, bit 7 of IE must be asserted to
enable all interrupts simultaneously

• Usage : for time-critical code where execution from start to finish

must not be interrupted :
– clear bit 7 of IE (CLR EA)
– then set IE after the time-critical code section is complete

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Interrupt Polling Sequence
• simultaneously occurring interrupts are serviced in the following
order :
– External 0 Interrupt
– Timer 0 Interrupt
– External 1 Interrupt
– Timer 1 Interrupt
– Serial Interrupt

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Interrupt Priorities
• 8051 offers two levels of interrupt priority: high and low

• By using interrupt priorities you may assign higher priority to

certain interrupt conditions

• Interrupt priorities are controlled by the IP SFR (B8h).

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 IP SFR format
Bit Name Bit Address Explanation of Function
7 - - Undefined
6 - - Undefined
5 - - Undefined
4 PS BCh Serial Interrupt Priority
3 PT1 BBh Timer 1 Interrupt Priority
2 PX1 BAh External 1 Interrupt Priority
1 PT0 B9h Timer 0 Interrupt Priority
0 PX0 B8h External 0 Interrupt Priority

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 Interrupt priority rules
• Nothing can interrupt a high-priority interrupt - not even another high
priority interrupt.

• high-priority interrupt may interrupt a low-priority interrupt.

• low-priority interrupt may only occur if no other interrupt is already

executing.

• If two interrupts occur at the same time, the interrupt with higher
priority will execute first. If both interrupts are of the same priority the
interrupt which is serviced first by polling sequence will be executed
first.

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 What happens when an interrupt occurs ?
• current Program Counter saved on the stack, low-byte first

• Interrupts of same &lower priority are blocked

• §Interrupt flag cleared in case of timer and external interrupts

• program execution transfers to corresponding interrupt handler/ISR vector

address

• ISR executes

• § If interrupt is timer or external interrupt, microcontroller automatically

clears interrupt flag before passing control to the ISR, i.e., it is not
necessary that code be included to clear the flag.

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What Happens When Interrupt Ends?

• interrupt ends when program executes the RETI (Return from

Interrupt) instruction.

• when RETI instruction is executed the following actions are

taken by the microcontroller :
– 2 bytes are popped off the stack into the Program Counter to
restore normal program execution
– Interrupt status is restored to its pre-interrupt status

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Serial Port Interrupts
• slightly different than other interrupts :
• there are two interrupt flags: RI and TI.
• If either RI or TI is set, a serial interrupt is triggered.
• Thus, ISR must check the status of these flags to
determine what action is appropriate.
• Also, 8051 does not automatically clear the RI and TI
flags : must be cleared in ISR

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An interrupt must leave the processor in the same
state as it was in when the interrupt initiated
• e.g., if ISR uses the accumulator, it must ensure that the value of the
accumulator is the same at the end of the interrupt as it was at the beginning

• Generally accomplished using PUSH and POP sequence

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Example:
PUSH ACC ; push on stack
PUSH PSW
MOV A,TH1 ;core of ISR – load tmr1 upper byte into
;accumulator,
ADD A,#02h ;modifying the accum and possibly the carry bit
;(in PSW) but orig value has been pushed on the
;stack and can be restored before exiting ISR
MOV P0,A ; o/p value to port
CPL P3.4 ; toggle (LED)
POP PSW ; restore from stack
POP ACC

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 In general, ISRs must protect the
following registers:
• PSW [consists of many individual bits that are
set by various 8051 instructions. Good
idea to always protect PSW]
• DPTR (DPH/DPL)
• ACC
• B
• Registers R0-R7 (use absolute address values,
e.g., push 00h for R0 in bank 0)

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 Common Problems with Interrupts
• errors in ISRs are often difficult to diagnose and correct
• If using interrupts & program is crashing or doesn’t seem
to be performing as expected, always review the following
interrupt-related issues:

– ALWAYS PROTECT YOUR REGISTERS

– ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU POP THE SAME NUMBER
OF VALUES OFF STACK AS WERE PUSHED ONTO IT
– Use RETI to end ISR (not RET)
RET will not end the ISR. RET will usually cause the illusion of
the main program running normally, but the ISR will only be
executed once.
If it appears that ISR mysteriously stops executing, verify that
you are exiting with RETI
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