Cycle stealing is used to describe the "stealing" of a single CPU cycle, for example, to allow a DMA controller to perform a DMA operation. This is opposed to block operation where a DMA controller would request a bus, hold it for a complete transaction (typically 16-32 bytes but could last much longer) before releasing to a CPU.
Cycle stealing generally occurs when the entire DMA transfer of data is finished, the DMA controller interrupts the CPU.
Read more about Cycle Stealing: Modern Architecture, Examples in Actual Computer Systems
Famous quotes containing the words cycle and/or stealing:
“Only mediocrities progress. An artist revolves in a cycle of masterpieces, the first of which is no less perfect than the last.”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“While he hears in every spring
How the birds do chirp and sing:
Or before the hounds in cry
See the hare go stealing by:
Or along the shallow brook,
Angling with a baited hook,
See the fishes leap and play
In a blessed sunny day:”
—Nicholas Breton (1542–1626)