Coprocessor executing pipeline control for executing protocols and instructions

Claim 1

A coprocessor, connected, via a bus, and a control bus to a CPU that decodes instructions processes data, and sends said instructions to the coprocessor; and connected, via said bus, to a ROM that stores the instructions, and a RAM that holds data and operands, wherein the coprocessor receives instructions via the bus, and processes data in response to the received instructions, comprising: an internal coprocessor bus; first means, connected to said internal coprocessor bus, for executing protocols and returning an internal operation status via said control bus in response to receiving an instruction and an operand, sent from the CPU to said coprocessor, based on an internal operation status of said coprocessor, and said means for executing protocols comprising means for returning an internal operation status of the coprocessor to the CPU; second means, connected to said internal coprocessor bus, for executing the received instructions and operands independent of said first means for executing protocols, wherein while said second means executes an instruction said first means executes protocols and returns an internal operation status in response to a subsequent instruction; and third means, connected to the bus and said internal coprocessor bus, for performing pipeline control of said first means and said second means, which pipeline is a receipt of the instructions and operands during the execution of a preceding instruction.