An automaton is implemented in a state machine engine. The automaton is configured to observe data from a beginning of an input data stream until a point when an end of data (EOD) signal is seen. Additionally the automaton is configured to report an event only when one and only one occurrence of a target symbol is seen in the input data stream.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from a beginning of an input data stream until a point when an end of data (EOD) signal is seen; and report an event only when one and only one occurrence of a target symbol is seen in the input data stream. 2. The automaton of claim 1, wherein the automaton is configured to: report the event on a symbol cycle in which the EOD signal is seen. 3. The automaton of claim 1, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs) and at least one Boolean element. 4. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream; and report whether a number of one or more target symbols in the input data stream is odd or even. 5. The automaton of claim 4, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe a first occurrence of a designated start symbol in the input data steam; initiate observation of an occurrence of one or more target symbols in the input data stream based on the observation of the first occurrence of the designated start symbol; observe a second occurrence of the designated start symbol in the input data stream after the occurrence of the one or more target symbols is observed; and report whether a number of the one or more target symbols in the input data stream is odd or even in response to the second occurrence of the designated start symbol being observed. 6. The automaton of claim 5, wherein the designated start symbol is a “#” symbol. 7. The automaton of claim 4, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs). 8. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream including a plurality of symbols; report an event when an ordered sequence of one or more target symbols is observed in the input data stream over a fixed number of the plurality of symbols. 9. The automaton of claim 8, wherein the one or more target symbols includes at least two target symbols, wherein a first target symbol of the at least two target symbols is observed at the beginning of the ordered sequence, and wherein a second target symbol of the at least two target symbols is observed at the end of the ordered sequence. 10. The automaton of claim 8, wherein the automaton consists of a plurality of state transition elements (STEs). 11. The automaton of claim 8, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs), one or more counter elements, and one or more Boolean elements. 12. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream; report a count of one or more target symbols when a designated end-of-count symbol is observed; and report the count of the one or more target symbols when an overflow condition occurs. 13. The automaton of claim 12, wherein the automaton is a two-bit counter and wherein the overflow condition comprises the count having a value of four. 14. The automaton of claim 12, wherein the automaton is a four-bit counter and wherein the overflow condition comprises the count having a value of 16. 15. The automaton of claim 14, wherein the automaton is a four-bit non-contiguous counter, wherein the automaton is configured to hold when the data observed in the input data stream is not the one or more target symbols. 16. The automaton of claim 12, wherein the designated end-of-count symbol is a “#” symbol. 17. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream including an input string of symbols; compare the input data stream to a programmed string of target symbols; and report a Hamming distance between the input string of symbols and the programmed string of target symbols. 18. The automaton of claim 17, wherein the Hamming distance represents a number of symbols in the input string of symbols that would need to change to convert the input string of symbols to equal the programmed string of target symbols. 19. The automaton of claim 17, wherein the automaton is configured to start upon receipt of a designated start symbol. 20. The automaton of claim 19, wherein the designated start symbol is a “!” symbol. 21. The automaton of claim 17, wherein the automaton is configured to report on a last target symbol of the programmed string of target symbols if the Hamming distance is zero. 22. The automaton of claim 17, wherein the automaton is configured to report on a state transition element (STE) that is coincident with the Hamming distance. 23. The automaton of claim 17, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs) and a counter. 24. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream including an input string of symbols; compare the input data stream to a plurality of programmed strings of target symbols; and report a Hamming distance between the input string of symbols and each of the plurality of the programmed strings of target symbols. 25. The automaton of claim 24, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs). 26. The automaton of claim 25, wherein the plurality of STEs is arranged in a set of Hamming distance chains and where each Hamming distance chain of the set comprises at least two of the plurality of STEs and wherein each Hamming distance chain of the set is configured to calculate a respective Hamming distance of one of the plurality of the programmed strings of target symbols. 27. The automaton of claim 24, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs) and a plurality of counters. 28. The automaton of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of counters corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of the programmed strings of the target symbols. 29. An automaton implemented in a state machine engine, wherein the automaton is configured to: observe data from an input data stream including a plurality of symbols; compare the plurality of symbols; and report whether one of the plurality of symbols is greater than or less than another one of the plurality of symbols. 30. The automaton of claim 29, wherein the automaton is configured to compare another plurality of symbols upon receipt of a restart comparison symbol. 31. The automaton of claim 30, wherein the restart comparison symbol is a “#” symbol. 32. The automaton of claim 29, wherein the automaton comprises a plurality of state transition elements (STEs). 33. The automaton of claim 29, wherein the automaton is configured to report when one of the plurality of symbols is equal to another one of the plurality of symbols