Patent ID: 7466687

Claim:
A method of processing parameter ranges for each parameter field in a packet classification rule, said method comprising: (a) associating at least one rule with at least one dimension, said dimension being a parameter in a network packet, said at least one rule being an instruction to a router for processing said network packet; (b) sorting said at least one rule according to a dimension associated with each set at least one rule; (c) grouping said at least one rule with a second at least one rule into a cluster of rules with overlapping ranges, overlap of said ranges being determined by said at least one dimension; (d) upon determining that said at least one rule overlaps said second at least one rule, expanding said cluster of overlapping rules into multiple unique segments that identify unique range intersections; (e) expanding the number of said multiple unique segments such that each rule has a number of segments that is a power of two; (f) offsetting each said cluster to an optimum alignment position; (g) converting the numbering of said range segments from binary to Gray code to create Gray coded range segments; (i) identifying a unique rule corresponding to a group of said Gray coded range segments; and (j) utilizing the unique rule to define and instruct how a particular packet is to be routed.