Interrupt
makerAn interrupt is a signal to the processor which temporarily halts the current process, allowing a different program or hardware event to be attended to.
expanded
In embedded systems and microcontrollers, interrupts are crucial for managing events such as data input/output, timers, or other peripheral communication. They allow the processor to respond to real-time events by pausing its current tasks and executing a priority task defined by an interrupt service routine (ISR). This mechanism enhances the performance of systems where time-sensitive operations are critical.
examples
Utilizing an interrupt to process input from a digital sensor in a microcontroller-based weather station.
Commonly used in environmental monitoring applications where the microcontroller, such as the Raspberry Pi Pico, needs to respond to changing weather conditions detected by a sensor array without missing data.
Implementing a timer interrupt in a motor control system to precisely manage the speed of an electric motor using a frequency of 1 kHz (kilohertz).
Critical in industrial automation systems where STM32 microcontrollers are employed to ensure motors operate with exact timing for precision tasks.