Importance

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Abstract

Apparatus and methods to efficiently process packet data are disclosed. In one embodiment, a microcode engine designed to efficiently parse packet data may use instructions that are tailored to parse packet data fields of a data packet having nested protocols. The microcode engine design and the instruction set may enable highly efficient packet processing while preserving flexibility as to the packet protocols that can be processed. The implementation can be both specific to a packet processing task while allowing reprogramming to perform a different specific task simply by changing the instructions. The microcode engine may execute instructions in a single clock cycle or in a pipelined configuration to generate appropriately modified packet data. The microcode engine may operate in lock step with received packet data.

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First Claim