Memory efficient filtering

An apparatus, comprising:

• a wireless device assembly configured to communicate with a host assembly, the wireless device assembly further configured to:
• receive a filter expression,
• while the host assembly is in a sleep mode,
• receive a signal at the wireless device assembly, the signal including packet data,
• determine whether the packet data contains a data pattern indicated by the filter expression,
• if the wireless device assembly determines that the packet data contains the data pattern indicated by the filter expression, communicate a wakeup signal to the host assembly for changing the host assembly from the sleep mode to an active mode, and
• if the wireless device assembly determines that the packet data does not contain the data pattern indicated by the filter expression, not to communicate the wakeup signal to the host assembly.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a host assembly configured to selectively operate in i) a sleep mode and ii) an active mode, the host assembly including
• an internal processor configured to process packet data received from a wireless device assembly via an input/output interface, and
• the input/output interface, wherein the host assembly is configured to block communication of packet data over the input/output interface when operating in the sleep mode;
• and
• the wireless device assembly connected to the input/output interface, wherein the wireless device assembly is configured to i) receive packet data via a wireless network, ii) determine, based on a filter expression, whether the packet data contains a data pattern indicated by the filter expression, and iii) communicate a wakeup signal through the input/output interface to the host assembly if the packet data contains the data pattern indicated by the filter expression;
• wherein the host assembly is configured to change, in response to receiving the wakeup signal, from the sleep mode to the active mode, and allow communication of the packet data over the input/output interface.