Packet filter system using BITMAP vector of filter rules for routing packet through network

Abstract

A filter method for designating one of a plurality of packet filter rules contained in a router for routing a packet of information through a network, each packet characterized as having parameters, the method comprising: generating one or more partitioned sets, each partitioned set associated with a different packet parameter with each partition of a set having zero or more associated filter rules; generating a vector corresponding to each of the parameters, the vector defining structure indicating one or more potential filter rules to be applied; comparing each parameter of the received packet with each partition of a corresponding partitioned set and determining one or more potential filter rules to be applied to the packet for each parameter; and determining from each of the vectors one or more identical potential filter rules associated with each vector, one of the identical filter rules capable of being applied to the received packet, with the rule to be applied being the rule of greatest priority.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.