PROTOCOL PROCESSOR

PURPOSE:To accelerate processing speed and to improve throughput by performing communication protocol processing before all the data frames arrive. CONSTITUTION:This processor is equipped with a transmission/reception part 6 capable of detecting the reception of a protocol header part, and a protocol execution part 5 which executes reception protocol processing. The protocol header part 6 is equipped with a header length table 62 in which the length of a protocol header is stored, a data counter 63 which stores the amount of data being received, and a reception part 61 which performs reception by distinguishing the protocol header by using the header length table 62 and the data counter 63. Also, the processor is comprised in such a manner that a protocol program is executed when the reception of the header is completed in the reception of data. Therefore, in the reception of the data, the protocol processing can be started at a time when the protocol header is received. Thereby, it is possible to dispense with the awaiting of the protocol processing until all the data are received, and to accelerate reception processing.