Cisco Systems Inc.

Innovapark LLC

Bruce Sherry

Anthony Joseph Li

Bruce Alexander Wilford

David J Tsiang

Eric Groft

Martin Hald

Kirby Andrews

Jonathan Pullen

Howard Kuff

Larry Berman

A device for switching packets at high speed. For each packet, the A device matches packet data with protocols, to determine how to switch the packet. Matching of data with protocols is highly parallel; the device simultaneously retrieves a data byte, compares a data byte with a protocol byte, tests a comparison result, and executes a processor instruction. A switching engine having a comparator and a decision tree memory. The comparator includes three outputs for indicating a comparison result (less-than, equal-to, or greater-than). The tree memory includes three corresponding banks of addressable memory. Each memory location comprises an entry for a next location, an entry for a next protocol byte, and an entry for a processor instruction. A set of protocol tests are assembled into the tree memory, and a set of routing tables are dynamically generated into the tree memory.

Apparatus and method for switching packets using tree memory

Growing community of inventors

Woodinville, WA, United States of America

Bruce Sherry