Operating system abstraction interface for broadband terminal platform firmware

A terminal for use within a broadband environment, comprising:

• a plurality of input ports adapted to receive downstream data;
• a computer readable medium having executable computer program code resident thereon, the computer program code comprising an operating system abstraction interface between platform software and an operating system executing on the terminal;
• and
• a processor for executing the computer program code,
• wherein:
• a portion of the operating system abstraction interface is independent of the operating system,
• the operating system abstraction interface provides constructs for synchronizing threads, coordinating timing and providing Inter-Process naming, and
• the operating system abstraction interface enables the platform software to run on dissimilar operating systems while maintaining consistent functionality across the dissimilar operating systems.