Question 6: Interrupt Service An interrupt that can be temporarily ignored by the processor...
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Question 6: Interrupt Service
An interrupt that can be temporarily ignored by the processor is known as:
Show answer & explanation
A maskable interrupt is one that can be temporarily disabled or ignored by the processor through masking mechanisms (e.g., setting interrupt mask bits). Non-maskable interrupts (NMI) cannot be ignored and always demand immediate attention. Vectored and software interrupts refer to interrupt delivery mechanisms, not their ability to be ignored.
Step-by-step Derivation:
The question directly tests interrupt classification terminology. Key concepts: (1) Maskable interrupts can be disabled via interrupt mask registers or control bits, allowing the processor to ignore them temporarily. (2) Non-maskable interrupts (NMI) bypass masking and are always serviced—used for critical events like reset or watchdog. (3) Vectored interrupts describe the addressing scheme (direct jump to handler via vector table), not masking capability. (4) Software interrupts are triggered by instructions, not by external signals. Therefore, the answer is A: Maskable interrupt.