Interrupt driven interface coupling a programmable media access controller and a process controller

A cable modem system for providing an external system access to a cable data transmission medium comprising:

• a media access controller;
• a processor;
• a memory;
• semaphore circuitry determining which of the media access controller and the processor writes the data to the memory;
• interrupt control circuitry notifying the other of the media access controller and the processor to read the data from the memory upon completion of writing;
• and
• a bus that communicatively couples the media access controller, the processor, the semaphore circuitry, the interrupt control circuitry, and the memory.

A cable modem system for providing an external system access to a cable data transmission medium comprising:

• a media access controller;
• a control processor;
• a memory coupled to the media access controller and the control processor, one of the media access controller and the control processor writing to the memory;
• and
• interrupt control circuitry coupled to the media access controller and the control processor, the interrupt control circuitry notifying the other of the media access controller and the control processor to read the data from the memory upon completion of writing.