Patent ID: 8077708

Claim:
A method for determining a flow of data, the method comprising: a. receiving a data packet; b. providing a memory device containing one or more tables, each one or more table being populated with a finite number of listed bit sets, each listed bit set having an equal number of bits as a set of bits previously designated for extraction from the packet and each listed bit set in the one or more tables being associated with either a predetermined classification value assignable to the packet or a designation that the packet cannot be classified; the set of bits previously designated for extraction from the packet being: (1) one set among a plurality of sets of bits designated for extraction from the packet; and (2) comprising one or more bits, none of which bits are included in any other set of bits designated for extraction from the packet; c. extracting from the packet a first set of bits designated for extraction; d. inputting the extracted first set of bits designated for extraction into the memory device and comparing the extracted first set of bits with the finite number of listed bit sets in a table to determine whether the extracted first set of bits matches a listed bit set in the table; e. determining whether the packet receives a predetermined classification value or a designation that the packet cannot be classified based upon which listed bit set in the table the extracted first set of bits matches; f. applying a predetermined result or procedure to the packet upon determining that the packet can be assigned a classification value from the table; and g. upon determining the packet cannot be classified, continuing to sequentially process the remaining sets of bits designated for extraction by repeating procedures c-f until such point that an extracted set of bits matches a bit set listed in a table that has an assigned classification value or all sets of bits in the packet designated for extraction have been extracted and compared to the entries of at least one table.