The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 12, 2004
Filed:
Nov. 03, 1999
Kevin Jennings, Dublin, IE;
Edele O'Malley, Dublin, IE;
Sorcha O'Callaghan, Dublin, IE;
Kevin Loughran, Dublin, IE;
3Com Corporation, Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A communication device which includes a hardware trie search facility. At least part of a memory is divided into memory blocks, each of said blocks consisting of a multiplicity of locations, at least some of said locations each providing when accessed a pointer to another block and an indication of the size of the block. A shift register holds an address key, and a trie block is accessed using an address composed of a number of bits related to said indication of the size of the block. The key is shifted by said number of bits prior to a subsequent stage of the search. Part of the memory comprises an associated data table which includes entries of data enabling a packet to be forwarded and at least some locations in said blocks provide when accessed a pointer to an entry in the associated data table.