Patent ID: 7936757

Claim:
An apparatus for processing packet fragments, said apparatus comprising: a memory operable for caching information included in headers of a plurality of packet fragments, wherein said packet fragments are each identified as associated with a particular packet; and a fragment processing block coupled to said memory and operable for performing operations on each of said packet fragments according to said information instead of caching a first packet fragment before performing said operations, wherein said information cached in said memory is useful for determining whether said first packet fragment of said packet fragments partially overlaps a second packet fragment of said packet fragments, wherein if said first packet fragment partially overlaps but does not fully overlap said second packet fragment then data included in said first packet fragment but not in said second packet fragment is forwarded from said apparatus, wherein said information comprises total lengths and fragment offsets included in said headers of said plurality of packet fragments, and wherein said length and offset for said first packet fragment are reduced according to the amount of said data included in said first packet fragment but not included in said second packet fragment.