What is the IRQ (Interrupt Request)?

Stands for "Interrupt Request." PCs use interrupt requests to manage various hardware operations. Devices such as sound cards, modems, and keyboards can all send interrupt requests to the processor. For example, when the modem needs to run a process, it sends an interrupt request to the CPU saying, "Hey, hold up, let me do my thing!" The CPU then interrupts its current job to let the modem run its process. It is important to assign different IRQ addresses to different hardware devices is because the interrupt request signals run along single IRQ lines to a controller. This interrupt controller assigns priorities to incoming IRQs and sends them to the CPU. It's kind of like taking a number at the local deli, except the hardware usually only has to wait a couple of nanoseconds instead of like twenty minutes). Since the interrupt controller can control only one device per IRQ line, if you assign the same IRQ address to multiple devices, you are likely to get an IRQ conflict. This can cause a range of errors from not allowing network connections to crashing your computer. So make sure you assign unique IRQs to new hardware you install and avoid the frustration and keyboard throwing that conflicts can cause.

What is the DMA (Direct Access Memory ) ?

Direct memory access is system that can control the memory system without using the CPU. On a specified stimulus, the module will move data from one memory location or region to another memory location or region. While it is limited in its flexibility, there are many situations where automated memory access is much faster than using the CPU to manage the transfers. Systems like the ADC, DAC and PWM capturing all require frequent and regular movements of memory out of their respective systems. The DMA can be configured to handle moving the collected data out of the peripheral module and into more useful memory locations (like arrays). Only memory can be accessed this way, but most peripheral systems, data registers, and control registers are accessed as if they were memory. The DMA is intended to be used in low power mode because it uses the same memory bus as the CPU and only one or the other can use the memory at the same time.