Patent ID: 8799564

Claim:
A logic circuit-implemented method of processing data by a pipeline of a virtual multiple instance finite state machine (VMI FSM), said method comprising: based on a current state of a first set of one or more FSM instances (first FSM instance) of a plurality of FSM instances included in said VMI FSM, and further based on a context of said first FSM instance, a first input value of a first input token selected to enter a pipeline of said VMI FSM, and a status of an environment, determining a new state of said first FSM instance, said first input token including a first field that includes a reference to said first FSM instance and a second field that includes said first input value; determining a first output token based on said current state of said first FSM instance, said context of said first FSM instance, said first input value, and said status of said environment; writing said new state and said context of said first FSM instance to an array; and subsequent to a receipt by said pipeline of said first input token and prior to said determining said new state and said determining said first output token, a logic circuit selecting a second input token to enter said pipeline of said VMI FSM, wherein said second input token includes (1) a first field that includes a reference to a second set of one or more FSM instances (second FSM instance) of said plurality of FSM instances and (2) a second field that includes a second input value.