Patent ID: 7554984

Claim:
A network device for routing packets, the network device comprising: a processor comprising a plurality of slices for classifying packets and for causing the network device to perform at least one action based on a classification of a packet, wherein each of the plurality of slices applies specific fields from the packet to an associated memory device that compares input to the memory device with entries in the memory device and outputs an address for a matched entry and wherein the memory device comprises a mask for each memory entry to enable selection of bits that are required to match exactly with bits from the input to the memory device, wherein each of the plurality of slices applies a match from the memory device to an associated entry in a table to apply actions associated with the packet, and wherein the memory device comprises a storing unit for storing groups of parsed fields in a predefined number of sections in each entry, wherein if a specific field in one of the predefined number of sections is selected, an extra mask is applied to the memory device.