Binary base address search device and method

A switch for rapid packet switching, comprising:

• a plurality of input/output ports;
• an array of registers electrically coupled to each of said input/output ports, wherein each register comprises content associating an address with one of said ports, and wherein said content in said array of registers is pre-sorted into specified order;
• a first selector comprising a plurality of comparators, wherein each of said comparators is electrically coupled to a specific set of registers in said array of registers, and wherein the number of registers between each coupled register in said set of registers is equally allotted between each of said comparators;
• a second selector electrically coupled to said first selector and to a switch core in said switch and comprising a comparator, wherein each comparator in said plurality of comparators in said first selector is enabled to simultaneously scan said specified set of registers and wherein said comparator in said second selector is enabled to select an output from a comparator in said plurality of comparators in said first selector and to direct said packet to a port in said switch based on said output.

A method for address matching a target address with an address of interest in an address register of interest in an array of address registers in a switch, comprising:

• pre-sorting the addresses in the array of registers into either a descending or ascending order;
• receiving the target address in a communication packet;
• comparing the target address in the communication packet to the addresses in the array of registers to identify the address register of interest by sequentially comparing the target address to the content of the array of registers beginning at the logically topmost address register in the array of registers and continuing in descending order through the array of registers, and:
• if the array of registers are pre-sorted into a descending order, identifying the address register of interest as the first address register encountered in the array of registers whose address is smaller than the target address, or;
• if the array of registers are pre-sorted into an ascending order, identifying the address register of interest as the first address register encountered in the array of registers whose address is larger than the target address
• locating the address of interest in the address register of interest in said array of registers;
• determining said address of interest to be a valid address;
• and
• directing said packet to a port associated with said valid address of interest.