Processing packets in cache memory

A method for processing data, wherein a system processing said data includes a first set of cache memory containing said data and a second set of cache memory coupled to a first application compute engine in a pipeline set of compute engines, wherein said first set of cache memory and said second set of cache memory are coupled to a main memory, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) assigning a set of applications to said pipeline set of compute engines;
• and
• (b) transferring said data from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory in response to a request for said data from said first application compute engine,
• wherein said data passes from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory in said step (b) without said data being stored in said main memory as part of said step (b).

A method for processing data in a packet from a communications medium, wherein a system processing said data includes a first set of cache memory and a second set of cache memory, wherein said first set of cache memory and said second set of cache memory are coupled to a main memory, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transferring said data from said communications medium to said first set of cache memory;
• (b) transferring said data from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory in response to a request for said data;
• (c) assigning a set of applications to a pipeline set of compute engines, wherein a first application compute engine in said pipeline set of compute engines is coupled to a third set of cache memory;
• and
• (d) transferring said data from said second set of cache memory to said third set of cache memory in response to a request for said data from said first application compute engine,
• wherein said data passes from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory in said step (b) without said data being stored in said main memory as part of said step (b), and
• wherein said data passes from said second set of cache memory to said third set of cache memory in said step (d) without said data being stored in said main memory as part of said step (d).

A method for processing data, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) receiving data into a first cache memory in a set of cache memory;
• (b) identifying a set of applications to be performed in relation to said data;
• (c) identifying a pipeline set of compute engines for performing said set of applications;
• and
• (d) transferring said data from said first cache memory to a second cache memory in said set of cache memory, without transferring said data to a memory outside said set of cache memory.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first set of cache memory;
• a second set of cache memory coupled to said first set of cache memory;
• a second compute engine coupled to said second set of cache memory;
• a non-cache memory coupled to said first set of cache memory and said second set of cache memory;
• a first means for transferring data from a communications medium to said first set of cache memory;
• and
• a second means for transferring said data from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory in response to a request for said data from said second compute engine,
• wherein said second means transfers said data from said first set of cache memory to said second set of cache memory without said data being stored in said non-cache memory.

A method for processing data in a packet from a communications medium, wherein a system processing said data includes a set of cache memory adapted for coupling to a main memory, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) transferring said data from said communications medium to said set of cache memory, wherein said data passes from said communications medium to said set of cache memory in said step (a) without said data being stored in said main memory as part of said step (a);
• (b) assigning a set of applications to a pipeline set of compute engines, wherein a first application compute engine in said pipeline set of compute engines is coupled to said set of cache memory;
• and
• (c) said first application compute engine performing a first application in said set of applications, wherein said step (c) includes the step of said first application compute engine accessing said data in said set of cache memory.