Visual Representation of Interrupt Processing in Unity-Based KERNEL II Educational Simulator

Abstract

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With the rapid advancement of information technology, understanding the operating principles of computers has become essential for engineers. This research extends a previously developed Unity-based simulator for the KERNEL (Kyutech Easily Reconstructive Naked Educational) computer system used in computer architecture education. The conventional Excel-based simulator had limitations in representing dynamic processing, which led to our previous development of a Unity-based application that simulates and graphically displays CPU operations in real-time. In this study, we focus on implementing a system that reproduces interrupt processing behavior, a critical concept in computer systems. The KERNEL system is a model computer designed for educational purposes that allows users to write assembly code and visually observe CPU internal processing. Our implementation recreates single interrupt handling mechanisms through a simulated keyboard input device within the virtual environment, rather than using physical hardware. This software-based approach enables visual learning of the complete interrupt processing flow. This system allows students to intuitively understand program interruption, register preservation, data processing, and return to the original process. By providing a dynamic visualization of these processes, our simulator offers an effective educational tool for understanding complex computer architecture concepts, particularly the asynchronous nature of interrupt handling.