Patent ID: 7796513

Claim:
A processing unit-implemented system for processing parameter ranges for each parameter field in a packet classification rule, said system comprising: a processing unit performing the functions of 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; means for sorting said at least one rule according to a dimension associated with each of said at least one rule; means for grouping said at least one rule with a second at least one rule into a cluster of rules with overlapping ranges, an overlap of said ranges being determined by said at least one dimension; means for 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; means for expanding the number of said multiple unique segments such that each rule has a number of segments that is a power of two; means for offsetting each said cluster to an optimum alignment position; means for converting the numbering of said range segments from binary to Gray code to create Gray coded range segments; the processing unit identifying a unique rule corresponding to a group of said Gray coded range segments; and the processing unit utilizing the unique rule to define and instruct how a particular packet should be handled.