Patent ID: 7835398

Claim:
A method for processing signals within a media access controller integrated circuit (MAC IC), comprising: (a) receiving a signal from a physical layer device coupled to the MAC IC, the physical layer device being operable for communication over a wireless medium; (b) pre-processing a header within the signal, the pre-processing including: (i) decrypting the signal after receiving key information to provide decryption match information identifying whether a sequence number within the header and the key information match, (ii) comparing the header with a stored header value retrieved using the key information to detect a header type to provide header match information identifying whether the header type and the stored header value match, (iii) extracting one or more payloads from the signal based upon the header type, and (c) detecting one or more fragmented frames from the signal; and (d) reassembling the one or more fragmented frames to produce a reassembled frame in response to the detecting the one or more fragmented frames.