IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DATA PROCESSING

摘要

There is provided a method and apparatus for receiving and processing data packets. Each data packet comprises an instruction portion, the instruction portion defining processing instructions for the data packet. The processing instructions may include mask data defining any sections of the instruction portion which are not to be used in comparison with other instruction portions. When a data packet is received, the instruction portion of the received data packet is compared with instruction portions stored in a memory, which stores already processed instruction portions together with the associated processing instructions. If the received instruction portion matches an instruction portion stored in the memory, the processing instructions can be used, thereby bypassing the processing of a packet whose instruction portion has already been processed. If the received instruction portion does not match an instruction portion stored in the memory, the data packet can be processed as usual and the instruction portion and processing instructions can be stored in the memory for later use.