US Patent 7310348 Network processor architecture

A network processor for processing information elements is described. Each information element is associated with a flow and comprises at least one information element segment. A policy controller stores an information element into at least one information segment storage unit within a memory, and determines whether an information element segment conforms to a predetermined quality of service (“QoS”). A traffic processor selects the information element segment for forwarding based on at least one QoS parameter. A forwarding processor forwards the selected information element segment to an egress port.