Structure of segmentation and reassembly for ip packet forwarding

PURPOSE: An apparatus for segmenting and reassembling IP(Internet Protocol) packets is provided to fast perform to segment and reassemble IP packets by processing control data like hardware without using a processor in normal state. CONSTITUTION: A reassembling part(11) reassembles received cells and forms the cells in form of ATM adaptation layer(AAL)-5. A receiving memory(12) is used to temporarily process data by the reassembling part(11). A segmenting part(13) segments packet in form of AAL-5 to ATM cells. A transmitting memory(14) is used to temporarily process data by the segmenting part(13). A control memory controlling part(15) controls to read/write control data in the reassembling part(11) and segmenting part(13) from/to the receiving memory(12) and transmitting memory(14), respectively. A packet memory controlling part(16) enables data of a transmitting/receiving packet to read/write to a packet memory(19), and performs a function of updating IP header. The packet memory(19) stores transmitting/receiving packet.