Patent ID: 7054855

Claim:
A system for performing a pattern match search for a data string having a plurality of characters separated by delimiters, said system comprising: means for defining a subset of characters as delimiters such that all remaining characters are defined as non-delimiters; means for constructing a search key by: generating a full match search increment comprising the binary representation of a data string element, wherein said data string element includes a plurality of non-delimiters between a pair of delimiters; and concatenating a pattern search prefix to said full match search increment to form said search key, wherein said pattern search prefix is a cumulative pattern search result of all previous full match search increments; means for performing a fill match search within a lookup table utilizing said search key; means for returning to said constructing a search key, in response to finding a matching pattern within said lockup table; and means for utilizing the previous full match search result to process said data string, in response to not finding a matching pattern within said lookup table.