Methods and systems for handling data received by a state machine engine

A method, comprising:

• receiving configuration instructions;
• configuring configurable elements of a state machine lattice based on the configuration instructions;
• receiving data to be analyzed from a data buffer via a buffer interface, wherein the data buffer provides data to be analyzed to the buffer interface via data bursts comprising a predetermined portion of the data to be analyzed;
• providing the data to be analyzed to the state machine lattice via the buffer interface;
• analyzing a portion of the data to be analyzed in a first set of configurable elements of the configurable elements of the state machine lattice;
• and
• outputting a result of an analysis from the configurable elements or the state machine lattice.

A system, comprising:

• a buffer interface configured to receive data to be analyzed;
• a state machine lattice coupled to the buffer interface to received the data to be analyzed, wherein the state machine lattice comprises a plurality of configurable elements, wherein the plurality of configurable elements are configured to analyze at least a portion of the data and to output a result of an analysis;
• a data buffer coupled to the state machine lattice and configured to receive the result of the analysis;
• and
• a host processor coupled to the data buffer, wherein the host processor is configured to receive the result of the analysis from the data buffer.