Interval symbol architecture for programmable intelligent search memory

Abstract

Memory architecture provides capabilities for high performance content search using regular expressions and patterns of strings. The architecture creates an innovative memory that can be programmed with content search rules which are used by the memory to evaluate presented content for matching with the programmed rules. When the content being searched matches any of the rules programmed in the Programmable Intelligent Search Memory (PRISM) action(s) associated with the matched rule(s) are taken. Content search rules comprise of regular expressions which are converted to finite state automata and then programmed in PRISM for evaluating content with the search rules. The PRISM memory provides features for complex regular expression symbols like interval symbol, range detection, complement control, bit masking and the like and enables complex symbols and compact regular expression representation.

1 . A memory architecture comprising programmable intelligent search memory for content search wherein said programmable intelligent search memory performs regular expression based search wherein said regular expression comprises of interval symbol, said interval symbol comprises a symbol and further comprises of a) a lower limit; b) an upper limit; or c) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         2 . An integrated circuit chip comprising programmable intelligent search memory for content search wherein said programmable intelligent search memory performs regular expression based search wherein said regular expression comprises of interval symbol, said interval symbol comprises a symbol and further comprises of a) a lower limit; b) an upper limit; or c) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . A hardware processor comprising an integrated chip memory said integrated chip memory comprising programmable intelligent search memory for content search, wherein said programmable intelligent search memory performs regular expression based search wherein said regular expression comprises of interval symbol which comprises a symbol and further comprises of a) a lower limit; b) an upper limit; or c) a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . An integrated circuit chip of  claim 2  comprising a processor, said processor comprising memory, said memory comprising said programmable intelligent search memory for content search.