The MR8259A belongs to the Intel 8259 series of programmable interrupt controllers. It is designed to handle and prioritize interrupt requests coming from peripheral devices connected to the microprocessor in a computer system. It acts as the primary interface between the processor and the devices, allowing for efficient and timely handling of interrupts. Key features:
1. Interrupt Handling: The MR8259A can handle up to eight different interrupt requests simultaneously from peripheral devices. It can prioritize these requests based on the assigned interrupt levels, enabling efficient processing by the microprocessor.
2. Daisy Chaining: Multiple MR8259A IC components can be interconnected in a daisy chain configuration, expanding the system's interrupt handling capabilities. This chaining capability allows for a more scalable and flexible system design.
3. Interrupt Masking: The MR8259A provides individual interrupt masking for each interrupt request line. This feature enables the microprocessor to selectively enable or disable interrupts from specific devices, according to the system's requirements.
4. Interrupt Buffering: The MR8259A has an integrated interrupt request buffer that stores any incoming requests while the microprocessor is currently servicing another interrupt
