Abbreviated as PIC, a
Programmable Interrupt Controller is a
interrupt controller that
manages interrupt signals received from
devices by
combining multiple interrupts into a single interrupt output. PIC is found on most
PCs today. One of the most well-known Programmable Interrupt Controllers is
Intel 8259A,
which was included in the x86 PC as a part of the
motherboard
chipset.
Compare with Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller
(APIC).