A Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC) is a device which allows priority levels to be assigned to its interrupt outputs. When the device has multiple interrupt outputs to assert, it will assert them in the order of their relative priority. Common modes of a PIC include hard priorities, rotating priorities, and cascading priorites. PICs often allow the cascading of their outputs to inputs between each other.
One of the best known PICs, the 8259A, was included in the x86 PC. In modern times, this is not included as a seperate chip in an x86 PC. Rather, its functionality is included as part of the motherboard's southbridge chipset. In other cases, it has been completely replaced by the newer Advanced Interrupt Controllers which support many more interrupt outputs and more flexible priority schemas.
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