Compiler for compiling content search rules comprising a regular expression using a programmable intelligent search memory (PRISM) and vectors

A compiler for compilation of a content search rule, the content search rule comprising a regular expression, the regular expression comprising a symbol, the compiler generating a data structure derived from the regular expression, the data structure comprising a finite state automata representing functionality of the regular expression, the finite state automata(FSA) comprising a compiled representation of the symbol;

• a state corresponding to the symbol;
• a state dependent vector to control transition to or from the state;
• an initial vector for an initial state of the FSA and an accept state vector for an accept state of the FSA, the data structure for programming a programmable intelligent search memory (PRISM) comprising a programmable FSA memory circuit comprising a symbol memory circuit for storing the symbols;
• a state memory circuit to store the state;
• a state dependent vector memory circuit for storing the state dependent vector;
• an initial vector memory circuit for storing the initial vector;
• and an accept state vector memory circuit for storing the accept state vector, the PRISM further comprising an array of randomly addressable locations to program the programmable finite state automata memory circuits using the data structure.