Patent ID: 6728255
Filing Date: 2004-04-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method of storing min terms to be used in evaluating an incoming data packet at a network switch port, the method comprising:receiving from a host controller a plurality of templates configured for simultaneous identification of respective data formats in the incoming data packet, each template having at least one min term configured for comparing a corresponding prescribed value to a corresponding selected byte of the incoming data packet; allocating memory block sizes based on relevance of respective incoming data bytes of the incoming data packet to evaluation of the incoming data packet; and storing the min terms in a min term memory within the network switch port, including storing a first group of the min terms configured for simultaneous comparison with a corresponding first of the incoming data bytes in a first memory block within the min term memory, and storing a second group of the min terms configured for simultaneous comparison with a corresponding second of the incoming data bytes having a respective relevance less than the first of the data bytes in a second memory block within the min term memory, the second memory block having a size less than the first memory block.