embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved ternary cam system and method , improving efficiency and reducing power consumption of the ternary cam . in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention , reference is made to the accompanying drawings , which form part hereof , and in which are shown , by way of illustration , specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced . these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention . however , it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these particular details . other embodiments may be utilized and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention . the following detailed description is , therefore , not to be taken in a limiting sense , and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims . fig3 is a table representing an expanded ternary cam array 300 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention . comparing fig3 with fig2 a and 2b , it can be seen that the expanded ternary cam array 300 , in addition to having a data portion 308 and a mask portion 312 , further comprises a control portion 320 . thus , for each data entry 324 in the expanded ternary cam array 300 , in addition to an associated mask 328 , one or more control words 332 is included . the masks 328 can comprise of net mask values having ranges of contiguous ones and zeros as previously described , or can contain interleaved zeros and ones for other masking applications . in embodiments of the present invention , the control words 332 associated with each data entry 324 , may comprise net mask length control words , table address control words , sets of segmented word status flags , or other information . as will be further explained , inclusion of these control words can improve efficiency and reduce power consumption in ternary cam applications . fig4 a shows a control word 332 ( fig3 ) in the form of a net mask length control word 400 . in this embodiment , the net mask length control word 400 is used to facilitate priority matching . as previously described , priority matching schemes frequently determine the highest priority match among multiple matching candidates by choosing the data entry having the net mask with the most significant ( i . e ., “ do care ”) bits . generally , net masks do not have interleaved zeros and ones , but comprise a number of ones listed from the left most significant bit positions to the left , and a number of zeros listed from the right in the least significant bit positions . as a result , the net masks with the greatest number of most significant bits , or “ do care ” bits , are the longest net masks . as also previously described , this scheme is facilitated by sorting data entries so that the data entries with the longest associated net masks appear in the lowest physical addresses in the memory space . thus , if more than one data entry registers a match with the comparand , the highest priority match is determined as occupying the lowest memory address of all matching candidates . using the net mask length control word 400 to specify the length of the net mask , data entries no longer have to be resorted by net mask length . instead , as part of the matching process , the priority encoder 140 ( fig1 ) can compare the net mask length control words to determine the highest priority match from multiple matching data words . this saves the processing time and power required to sort the data entries , as well as usable time lost while this process is taking place . more specifically , the net mask control word 400 comprises eight bits : a seven - bit net mask length specifier 404 , comprised of bits nl 0 through nl 6 , and a word validity bit 408 , which indicates whether the control word is valid . bits nl 0 through nl 6 represent a value indicative of the bit boundary where the net mask changes from one to zero . the net mask length value would define the number of most significant bits that are compared in a matching operation , with the remaining bits being a forced match . accordingly , the seven bits contained in the net mask length specifier 404 can indicate a net mask length of up to one hundred twenty eight bits in length , accommodating conventional net masks . for example , bits nl 0 through nl 6 contain the net mask length , starting bit position 127 of the net mask and extending towards bit position 0 . note that a net mask length specifier of seven bits is sufficient to mask all one hundred twenty eight bits of an internet protocol version 6 ( ipv6 ) address . conventionally , there are a minimum number of significant bits of the network address that must be included in a match operation for the match operation to meet the requirements of the network protocols . the validity bit 408 indicates whether the net mask length control word 400 is actually a valid net mask length . for example , as previously explained , net masks do not contain interleaved ones and zeros , as compared to conventional ternary cam mask words , which may contain interleaved ones and zeros . if the mask word is a special purpose mask word containing interleaved ones and zeros , or is simply not used , the validity bit 408 will specify a zero , and the priority encoder 140 ( fig1 ) will not use the net mask length control word in a matching operation . however , if the net mask length is valid , the validity bit 408 will specify a one , and the priority encoder 140 ( fig1 ) will use the net mask length control word in matching operations to determine the highest priority match in the case of multiple matching candidates . in one embodiment of the present invention , if the net mask control word 400 is a valid net mask length , the net mask corresponding to the net mask length is generated and used in the matching operation . where the net mask control word 400 is an invalid net mask length , the corresponding ternary mask for that data word is loaded independently . it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art , however , that various modifications can be made to the embodiment previously described with respect to fig4 a without departing from the scope of the present invention . for example , alternative bit arrangements can be used , various number of bits representing the net mask length can be changed , and correspondence of bit positioning the net mask to the value of the net mask length can be modified and still remain within the present invention . alternatively , the control word ( fig3 ) can specify a table address word 430 , as shown in fig4 b , which specifies a table to which the associated address has been assigned . thus , if one or more devices associated with a certain table identifier are the only devices for which a match would be desired , only data entries having that table identifier specified will be considered in the matching process . this affords two advantages : first , the table identifier information can be specified independently of the data word , therefore data word space need not be set aside for table identifier information . second , if only data words having a particular table identifier are of interest in the matching process , only data entries included in that table need be evaluated in the matching process . as a result , fewer data entries need to be evaluated in the matching process , saving circuit switching and the power that would be consumed in that process . as shown in fig4 b , an embodiment of the table identifier control word 430 comprises a five - bit table identifier 434 , including bits t 0 through t 4 , resulting in potentially defining 32 different tables . the table identifier control word 430 also specifies the data word and corresponding mask word segmentation of the table as defined by the two table word bit widths 438 , ww 0 and ww 1 . the data word width is defined by specifying the number of equal - sized segments within a word . for example , where 144 - bits are allocated for each data word , “ 00 ” might define one 144 - bit segment . however , where ww 0 and ww 1 are “ 10 ”, there would be four 36 - bit segments per data word , and “ 11 ” would be indicative of two 72 - bit segments per word . finally , the table identifier control word 430 comprises a word validity bit 442 to indicate with a zero or one whether the table identifier control word is invalid or valid , respectively . it will be appreciated by one ordinarily skilled in the art that the table identifier control word 430 previously described is merely one embodiment of the present invention , and that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention . for example , where it is desirable for a greater number of tables to be potentially defined , the number of bits representing the table identifier can be increased accordingly . once all members of a specific table have been identified by the table identifier 434 , it is then possible to enable only those entries for a given search operation . that is , by knowing ahead of time to which table each word belongs , it is possible to exclude from a given search all data words that do not belong to the table being searched on a word - by - word basis . this eliminates the need for placing new entries within a specific range of the cam address space , which is required in some conventional table management schemes . moreover , use of the table address control word 430 eliminates the need for table identifications bits within the data word , thus recovering additional data bits for use in multi - table applications . as shown in fig4 c , an embodiment of the invention might include a segmented word validity word 470 . the segmented word validity word 470 can be used in conjunction with the table identifier control word 430 ( fig4 b ). a ternary cam data word ordinarily might be 256 - bits wide . however , the full 256 bits may not be required to store entries . thus , the 256 - bit data word can be segmented into multiple separate data words , some or all of which may be valid at any one time . the segmented word validity word 470 , therefore , allows for different validity flags to be stored for each of the segmented words stored in that data entry . as shown in an embodiment depicted in fig4 c , if the data word can be segmented into four different data word segments , four pairs of validity bits 474 , 478 , 482 , and 486 , can be specified . for example , validity bit pair 474 comprises bits w 0 v 0 and w 0 v 1 , specifying two validity bits for the first segment of the segmented word . similarly , validity bit pair 478 comprises bits w 1 v 0 and w 1 v 1 , specifying two validity bits for the second segment of the segmented word , and so on . use of the segmented word validity word 470 can provide greater flexibility in how to use and manage the data stored in each table in a cam array . for example , upon finding a parity error for one of the data segments of a table , it may not be desirable to simply mark that segment as “ empty ”. having multiple validity states , as defined by the corresponding bits in the segmented word validity word 470 , allows an entry to be temporarily excluded from searches without risk of having that segment overwritten in a subsequent write operation . combinations of these control words may be used . for example , as briefly discussed above , the segmented word validity word 470 ( fig4 c ) and the table identifier control word 430 ( fig4 b ) provide additional flexibility when used in combination . fig5 a illustrates another combined use of control words . fig5 a shows a dual control word 500 that could comprise the control word 332 ( fig3 ). the control word 500 is a dual width word 504 having a net mask length word 400 , like that shown in fig4 a , and a table identifier word 430 , as shown in fig4 b . having both of these control words allows for advantages of both as previously described . for example , priority matching could be performed according to net mask length without having to resort data entries , and data entries belonging to only a specific table be included . similarly , all three types of control words previously described could be used as shown in fig5 b . a triple - width control word 550 has a triple - width field comprised of a net mask length word 400 ( fig4 a ), a table identifier word 430 ( fig4 b ), and a segmented word validity word 470 ( fig5 c ). this combined control word allows for all of the advantages previously described . fig6 is a block diagram of a computer networking system incorporating an embodiment of the present invention . in the computer networking system 600 , a port processor 602 is adapted with a preferred embodiment of the present invention ( not shown ) as previously described . the computer networking system 600 , including the ternary cam 601 , utilizes a port processor 602 to perform various functions , calculations or tasks on the incoming and / or outgoing network traffic . in addition , the computer system 600 includes one or more input devices 604 that are generally coupled to the port processor 602 through a standard bus , such as mii ( media independent interface ) or utopia . fig6 is a block diagram for a subsystem 600 of a computer network device , such as a bridge , switch , router or access point , incorporating an embodiment of the present invention . the subsystem 600 consists of one or more phy devices 604 , or physical layer adaptation devices which interface the network device to the rest of the network ; a port processor 602 , which could be as simple as a collection of logic or as sophisticated as an ethernet mac ( media access controller ) or network processor ; a cam device 601 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention ; packet or cell buffer memory 605 ; and optionally , associated data memory 603 . the phy device 604 ( or devices ), in the receive or ingress direction , decode the incoming network traffic and present this traffic to the port processor 602 over a standard bus 610 , such as mii ( media independent interface ) or utopia . in the transmit or egress direction , the port processor 602 presents traffic destined for the network to the phy device 604 over the data bus 610 . the phy device encodes the information for transmission over the rest of the network . in the receive or ingress direction , the port processor 602 parses the incoming cell or frame to extract pertinent information from the header of the cell or frame . this extracted information is presented to the cam 601 over the data bus 630 , along with control information over the address and control bus 620 . the data packet is sent to the buffer memory 605 for later processing or transmission over the system bus 680 to the rest of the system . the extracted information presented to the cam 601 over the data bus 630 , along with control information over the address and control bus 620 is compared with the data stored in the cam device 601 . the result , which is the combination of a match indication and data , provided the search was successful , will aid the port processor 602 in the decision making process of whether to accept an incoming frame or cell , and what to do with a frame or cell that is accepted . this result data may be stored and retrieved from the cam device 601 itself , or may reside in optional associated data memory 603 . if the result data is stored in the associated data memory 603 , it is typical that the cam device 601 directly controls the associated data memory 603 via the control bus 640 , and the data itself is written to or read from the associated data memory 603 via the data bus 650 by the port processor . in the egress or outbound direction , the port processor 602 receives the data packet and control information over the system bus 680 , and may temporarily store the data packet in the buffer memory 605 . either a tag included in the data , or the control information presented to the port processor 602 will be presented to the cam device 601 for a compare operation . the resulting data from the search operation will tell the port processor 602 which header to append onto the cell or frame before transmitting , and possibly the order in which the frames or cells leave the network device . a host or system processor ( not shown ) is typically used to maintain the table or tables within the cam device 601 . this processor may be connected directly to the cam device 601 or may manage and maintain the cam device 601 through the port processor 602 . as will be appreciated by one ordinarily skilled in the art , the more time spent on updating and managing the cam 601 , the less time there is for processing network traffic . there is an upper limit to obtaining faster processors and cam devices , along with the negative of increased power consumption of the faster devices , to achieve improved network traffic processing performance . it will be further appreciated that embodiments of the present invention utilize additional control words to segment and prioritize the data stored within the cam array , which in turn , streamlines the update and management tasks and time , and reduces power consumption . it is to be understood that , even though various embodiments and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description , the above disclosure is illustrative only . changes may be made in detail , and yet remain within the broad principles of the invention . for example , other types of combinations of the different control words described in fig4 a , 4 b , and 4 c could be used than shown in fig5 a and 5b . similarly , the control words could be ordered differently than shown in fig5 a and 5b . this , and other embodiments could make use of and fall within the principles of the invention . thus , although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration , and the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims .