In-flight packet processing

A method, comprising:

• (a) receiving an add-to-work-queue request for packet processing from a packet processing circuit by a work queue of a packet engine in an integrated circuit;
• (b) receiving an a Packet Portion Identifier (PPI) allocation request for an incoming packet and an incomplete portion of packet data from a packet data source device, wherein the packet data comprises a header portion and a payload portion, and wherein the incomplete portion of packet data is associated with an unused portion of memory and the packet data is being written into a memory;
• (c) in response to receiving the allocation request, allocating a PPI to the incoming packet;
• (d) determining whether the incoming packet is ready for processing, wherein the incoming packet is ready for processing when a threshold amount of the header portion is written into the internal memory;
• (e) in response to determining that the incoming packet is ready for processing, transferring the header portion of the packet data to the packet processing circuit after the incoming packet is ready for processing;
• and
• (f) processing the incoming packet by the packet processing circuit before the entire packet data is written into the memory.

An integrated circuit, comprising:

• an internal memory;
• a packet processing circuit that sends an add-to-work-queue request for packet processing;
• and
• means for:
• 1) receiving the add-to-work-queue request from the packet processing circuit,
• 2) receiving an Packet Portion Identifier (PPI) allocation request for an incoming packet and an incomplete portion of packet data from a packet data source device, wherein the packet data comprises a header portion and a payload portion, and wherein the incomplete portion of packet data is associated with an unused portion of memory, and
• 3) in response to receiving the allocation request, allocating a PPI to the incoming packet,
• 4) determining whether the incoming packet is ready for processing, wherein the incoming packet is ready for processing when a threshold amount of the header portion is written into the internal memory,
• 5) in response to determining that the incoming packet is ready for processing, transferring the header portion of the packet data to the packet processing circuit after the packet is ready for processing such that the packet processing circuit starts processing the packet before the entire packet data is written into the internal memory and an external memory.