Abstract: A data engine that can be interrupted is disclosed, the data engine comprising plurality of elements for storing, routing and processing the data, the plurality of elements comprising: processing elements for processing the data; registers for storing the data being processed; the data processing engine being configured to receive a clock signal and in response to the clock signal to periodically transmit a plurality of the control signals to a corresponding plurality of the elements in parallel; the data engine further comprising: control circuitry configured in response to receipt of an external interrupt request: to pause transmission of the control signals to the elements and to transmit a copy of the register data stored in the plurality of registers to a store; to transmit in parallel a next plurality of the control signals in the stream of control signals to a corresponding plurality of the elements, and to transmit a copy of output data output by the processing elements in response to the next plurali