Nios II Classic Processor Reference Guide

ID 683620
Date 10/28/2016
Public
Document Table of Contents

3.7.11. Handling Nonmaskable Interrupts

Writing an NMI handler involves the same basic techniques as writing any other interrupt handler. However, nonmaskable interrupts always preempt maskable interrupts, and cannot be preempted. This knowledge can simplify handler design in some ways, but it means that an NMI handler can have a significant impact on overall interrupt latency. For the best system performance, perform the absolute minimum of processing in your NMI handlers, and defer less-critical processing to maskable interrupt handlers or foreground software.

NMIs leave intact the processor state associated with maskable interrupts and other exceptions, as well as normal, nonexception processing, when each NMI is assigned to a dedicated shadow register set. Therefore, NMIs can be handled transparently.

Note: If not assigned to a dedicated shadow register set, an NMI can overwrite the processor status associated with exception processing, making it impossible to return to the interrupted exception.
Note: Do not set status.PIE in a nonmaskable ISR. If status.PIE is set, a maskable interrupt can pre-empt an NMI, and the processor exits NMI mode. It cannot be returned to NMI mode until the next nonmaskable interrupt.