Patent ID: 7233597

Claim:
A parser receiving an input data according to a protocol, said parser generating a data unit of interest on a corresponding one of a plurality of paths, wherein the bit position in said input data of said data unit of interest can vary according to said protocol, said parser comprising: a multiplexer receiving a plurality of inputs, said multiplexer selecting one of said plurality of inputs to generate a multiplexer output according to a select value, said plurality of inputs being comprised in said input data; and a content addressable memory (CAM) programmed with a plurality of search rules, each of said plurality of search rules being stored associated with an output value, said CAM forwarding as said select value the output value stored associated with a matching search rule in response to receiving said input data, said matching search rule being contained in said plurality of search rules, wherein said output value associated with each search rule indicates a specific one of said plurality of inputs is to be selected according to a bit position at which said data unit of interest is located.