NETWORK PROCESSOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT WITH A SOFTWARE PROGRAMMABLE SEARCH ENGINE COMMUNICATIONS MODULE

摘要

A network processor IC for processing network traffic includes a bus interface and a software programmable search engine communications module. The bus interface of the network processor IC is not specific to a particular search engine and the software programmable search engine communications module enables communications to be conducted between the network processor IC and the search engine via the bus interface according to whatever communications protocol the search engine requires. Using the software programmable search engine communications module, a network processor IC is software programmed to communicate with a particular search engine in a manner that is completely compatible with the search engine.