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Abstract

A method for implementing a memory. The memory is implemented as a directory structure comprising a tree-shaped hierarchy having nodes at several different levels, wherein an individual node can be (i) a trie node comprising an array wherein an individual element may contain the address of a lower node in the tree-shaped hierarchy and wherein an individual element may also be empty, the number of elements in the array corresponding to a power of two, or (ii) a bucket containing at least one element so that the type of an individual element in the bucket is selected from a group including a data unit, a pointer to a stored data unit, a pointer to a node in another directory structure and another directory structure. To optimize storage space occupancy and memory efficiency, in at least part of the directory structure sets of successive trie nodes are replaced with compressed nodes in such a way that an individual set made up by successive trie nodes, from each of which there is only one address to a trie node at a lower level, is replaced with a compressed node (CN) storing an address to the node that the lowest node in the set to be replaced points to, information on the value of the search word by means of which said address is found, and information on the total number of bit from which search words are formed in the set to be replaced. This method also relates to a structure in which buckets are not employed.

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First Claim