Transport processor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for processing information, specifically data packets. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method for processing information, comprising determining if a first identifier associated with the information is acceptable and assigning a second identifier to the information. The method further includes determining a type of processing that is required using the second identifier and performing that type of processing on the information.

1 . A method for processing information, comprising: 
 (a) determining if a first identifier associated with the information is acceptable;    (b) assigning a second identifier to the information;    (c) determining a type of processing that is required using said second identifier; and    (d) performing said type of processing on the information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising repeating steps (a) through (d) in a repetitive manner.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 (e) determining if there is any other information to be processed; and    (f) terminating the method if there is no other information to be processed.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the information.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising receiving the information from at least one input band.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said information comprises at least one packet of data.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said first identifier is a program identifier.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said second identifier is a unique tag.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising indicating what processing is required using said second identifier.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining if said first identifier is acceptable further comprises determining if said first identifier is stored in an identifier table.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said type of processing comprises at least one of at least encrypting, decrypting, filtering or buffering.  
   
   
       12 . A method for processing at least one data packet using a data processor, comprising: 
 (a) receiving the at least one data packet from at least one input band;    (b) determining if a packet identifier associated with the data packet is acceptable;    (c) assigning a tag to the data packet;    (d) communicating the tag to at least one processing block;    (e) determining if processing of the data packet is required using said tag;    (f) determing a type of processing that is needed based on said tag; and    (g) performing said type of processing.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising repeating steps (a) through (g) in a repetitive manner.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 (h) determining if there is any more data packets to be processed; and    (i) terminating the method if there are no more data packets to be processed.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein determining if said packet identifier is acceptable further comprises determining if said packet identifier is stored in an identifier table.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said type of processing comprises at least one of at least encrypting, decrypting, filtering or buffering.  
   
   
       17 . A transport processor for processing data packets, comprising at least a parser device adapted to assign a unique tag to the data packets based on a packet identifier.  
   
   
       18 . The transport processor of  claim 17 , further comprising a packet identifier table communicating with the parser device and adapted to store information regarding at least one acceptable packet identifier.  
   
   
       19 . The transport processor of  claim 18 , wherein said parser device is further adapted to determine if said packet identifier is acceptable based on said information stored in said packet identifier table.  
   
   
       20 . The transport processor of  claim 17 , further comprising at least one processing block adapted to process said data packets based on said unique tag.