Patent ID: 8286246

Claim:
A virus processing system, the virus processing system comprising: a system memory, wherein the system memory is operable to store at least one data segment, and wherein the system memory is operable to store a task control, the task control comprising a file type indicator for the at least one data segment, a pointer to the at least one data segment, and a return result location; a general purpose processor, wherein the general purpose processor is communicably coupled to the system memory, and wherein the general purpose processor is operable to store a data segment to the system memory using virtual addresses; a virus co-processor, wherein the virus co-processor is communicably coupled to the system memory, and wherein the virus co-processor is operable to retrieve the data segment from the system memory using the virtual addresses and to execute one or more virus signatures against the data segment, and wherein the one or more virus signatures are selected based on a file type indicator in the task control, wherein the virus co-processor is operable to store a virus scan result in the return result location.