PATTERN-MATCHING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. An apparatus for pattern-matching characters in a stream of received characters, the apparatus comprising:
- a character processing unit comprising means for storing characters, and means for comparing a received input character with at least one stored character; and
a controller for controlling the character processing unit, the controller including means for receiving an input stream of characters to be pattern-matched and means for controlling the character processing unit to compare characters from the input stream with characters stored by the character processing unit.
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Abstract
An XML parsing system includes a pattern-matching system 1 that receives an input stream 2 of characters corresponding to the XML document to be parsed, and provides an output 3 for subsequent processing in software by a processor 4. The pattern matching system 1 includes two main components, a controller in the form of a programmable state machine 5, which is programmed with an appropriate state transition diagram 6, and a character processing unit 7 in the form of a token and character handler. The programmable state machine 5 controls the character processing unit 7 to, e.g., compare characters in the input character stream 2 with other received or stored characters. The character processing unit 7 then provides feedback to the programmable state machine controller 5, e.g., as to whether the compared characters match, so that the programmable state machine controller 5 can then parse the received document accordingly.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An apparatus for pattern-matching characters in a stream of received characters, the apparatus comprising:
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a character processing unit comprising means for storing characters, and means for comparing a received input character with at least one stored character; and a controller for controlling the character processing unit, the controller including means for receiving an input stream of characters to be pattern-matched and means for controlling the character processing unit to compare characters from the input stream with characters stored by the character processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for performing pattern matching of an input character stream, comprising:
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a character processing unit that can store characters and compare characters provided to it with characters that it has stored; and a programmable state machine for receiving the input character stream and for controlling the character processing unit to compare characters in the input character stream with characters stored by the character processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A programmable state machine in which at least one state transition can cause the programmable state machine to send a command or instruction to a processing unit under the control of the programmable state machine.
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15. A programmable state machine in which at least one state transition can cause the programmable state machine to pause the input of data to the programmable state machine.
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16. A programmable state machine comprising means for invoking a single common set of state transitions from more than one location in the state diagram that the state machine is programmed to represent.
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17. A programmable state machine in which state transitions are represented by state transition rules, wherein at least one of the state transition rules includes one set of test condition types, and at least one other state transition rule includes a different set of test condition types.
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18. A programmable state machine which includes state transition rules that are specifically related to particular states and state transition rules that do not relate to any particular state.
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19. A method of pattern-matching characters in a stream of received characters, the method comprising:
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storing at least one characters in a character processing unit comprising means for storing characters; selectively providing at least one characters from a received input character stream to the character processing unit; and controlling the character processing unit to compare a received input character with at least one of the characters stored by the character processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 36)
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27. A method of pattern-matching characters in a stream of received characters, the method comprising:
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receiving the input character stream at a programmable state machine; and the programmable state machine controlling a character processing unit that has stored at least one characters to compare characters in the received input character stream with a character or characters stored by the character processing unit.
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31. A method of creating a data structure for a programmable state machine, comprising:
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deriving and storing a set of state transitions for the state machine; wherein at least one of the stored state transitions can cause the programmable state machine to send a command or instruction to a processing unit under the control of the programmable state machine.
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32. A method of creating a data structure for a programmable state machine, comprising:
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deriving and storing a set of state transitions for the state machine; wherein at least one of the stored state transitions can cause the programmable state machine to pause the input of data to the programmable state machine.
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33. A method of creating a data structure for a programmable state machine, comprising:
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deriving and storing a set of state transitions for the state machine; and deriving and storing a plurality of other state transitions that will invoke the stored set of state transitions.
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34. A method of creating a data structure for a programmable state machine, comprising:
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deriving and storing a set of state transitions for the state machine that include one set of test condition types; and deriving and storing another set of state transitions for the state machine that include a different set of test condition types.
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35. A method of creating a data structure for a programmable state machine comprising:
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deriving state transition rules that are specifically related to particular states; and deriving state transition rules that do not relate to any particular state.
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37. A program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and having a program of instructions which are tangibly embodied on the storage device and which are executable by the processing apparatus to perform a method of transporting packets of data, wherein each packet is assigned a number of priorities, the method comprising:
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storing at least one characters in a character processing unit comprising means for storing characters; selectively providing at least one characters from a received input character stream to the character processing unit; and controlling the character processing unit to compare a received input character with at least one of the characters stored by the character processing unit.
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Specification