Patent ID: 6252872
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of identifying a target data packet from a series of data packets being received or transmitted by a communications device, each data packet having a series of data values, comprising the steps of:(a) establishing at least one condition for the target data packet, each of the at least one condition specifying a particular data value being located in a particular position of the target data packet;(b) determining whether a present data value from a data packet is located in the particular position specified by any of the at least one condition and generating a position match indicator;(c) determining whether the present data value contains the particular data value specified by any of the at least one condition and generating a data value match indicator;(d) comparing the position match indicator for the present data value and the data value match indicator for the present data value and generating a positive condition match indicator for the present data value when both the position match indicator and the data value match indicator are positive; and(e) generating a positive evaluation result indicative of the presence of the target data packet when an alive indicator associated with a last condition match indicator of the present data value is alive, the alive indicator associated with a last condition match indicator being alive when a last condition and any preceding conditions of the at least one condition have sequentially been satisfied by the data packet and the data packet thereby having generated a positive match indicator for each of the at least one condition.