How to Reduce Interrupt Latency in Microcontrollers

Interrupt latency is a critical factor in embedded systems design, particularly in microcontroller-based applications where timely response to external events is essential. Here are some strategies to reduce interrupt latency:

• Optimize Interrupt Service Routine (ISR) code: Keep the ISR code concise and efficient to minimize execution time.
• Configure Interrupt Priorities: Assign priorities to interrupts based on their criticality to ensure that high-priority interrupts are serviced promptly.
• Minimize Interrupt Nesting: Avoid nesting interrupts whenever possible to prevent delays in handling higher-priority interrupts.
• Use Hardware Accelerators: Take advantage of hardware features like DMA controllers or dedicated interrupt controllers to offload processing tasks and reduce latency.
• Optimize Interrupt Handling: Implement techniques like tail-chaining or vector table reordering to streamline the interrupt handling process and reduce overall latency.

By implementing these strategies and optimizing your microcontroller's interrupt handling mechanisms, you can significantly reduce interrupt latency and improve the responsiveness of your embedded systems.