Patent ID: 7707217

Claim:
A method of performing a lookup on a search key word, employing both a ternary content addressable memory and a trie database stored in random access memory (RAM) comprising a multiplicity of trie blocks that include pointers to other trie blocks, wherein each trie is accessible by means of a segment of said search key, the method comprising: applying a selected section of the search key word to a ternary content addressable memory; in the event of an absence of a match of said selected section with an entry in the ternary content addressable memory, performing a search on the whole of said search key word in a trie database stored in random access memory (RAM); and in the event of a match of said selected section with an entry in the ternary content addressable memory, performing a partial search of the trie database stored in RAM commencing with a first segment of said search key word after said selected section that has been matched in the ternary content addressable memory.