Patent ID: 7969982

Claim:
A method for processing a plurality of data packets which include real-time data packets, the method comprising: a) classifying the plurality of data packets into at least one first data packet type and a second data packet type, wherein real-time data packets are allocated to the first data packet type and wherein the second data packet type is different from the first data packet type; b) processing the data packets of the first data packet type via a first data path; and c) processing the data packets of the second data packet type via a second data path, wherein the data packets of the first data packet type are transmitted via the first data path to a first processor unit operable to process the real-time data packets, and wherein the data packets of the second data packet type are transmitted via the second data path to a second processor unit operable to process the data packets of the second data packet type, wherein the data packets are classified at least partly in a third processor unit and depending on classification are transmitted to the first processor unit or the second processor unit, wherein the second processor unit is a main processor unit and wherein the first processor unit and third processor unit are co-processor units, and wherein the classification takes place temporally in a plurality of stages and after each stage the data packets are transmitted for processing to the main processor unit if they are classified as data packets of the second data packet type.