Patent ID: 7440304

Claim:
A string search apparatus for implementing search operations between an input string of characters and a plurality of signatures embodied by a state diagram having a plurality of branches of sequential states extending from a root node, wherein each state is associated with a goto transition to a next state and with a failure transition to a fail state, the string search apparatus including a database comprising: a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) having a plurality of rows each for storing a first portion of a corresponding state entry of the state diagram; and an associated random access memory (RAM) having a plurality of rows each for storing a second portion of the corresponding state entry, wherein the first portion of each state entry includes a state field and a character field that are individually masked with respect to the first portions of other state entries, wherein the first portion of each state entry further includes a previous result field and a count field, and the second portion of each state entry includes a next state field and a result field.