Abstract: Method and apparatus for conducting a search to match a string of symbols of a sequence of symbols with a stored string of symbols in a dictionary to provide a matched string of symbols. In the method, after a matched string of symbols of the sequence of symbols has been found, beginning from a first position in the dictionary in which the first symbol of the matched string is stored, it is determined if a longer matched string of symbols can be found by first comparing a chosen symbol that follows the matched string of symbols in the sequence of symbols with a symbol stored in a corresponding position in the dictionary, beginning with another position in the dictionary in which the first symbol is stored, to determine whether the symbol stored in the corresponding position matches the chosen symbol. If the comparison does not result in a match, it is immediately known that a longer string of matched symbols has not been found and it maybe possible to omit additional comparing steps.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for conducting a search to match a string of symbols of a sequence of symbols with a stored string of symbols in a dictionary to provide a matched string of symbols. In the method, after a matched string of symbols of the sequence of symbols has been found, beginning from a first position in the dictionary in which the first symbol of the matched string is stored, it is determined if a longer matched string of symbols can be found by first comparing a chosen symbol that follows the matched string of symbols in the sequence of symbols with a symbol stored in a corresponding position in the dictionary, beginning with another position in the dictionary in which the first symbol is stored, to determine whether the symbol stored in the corresponding position matches the chosen symbol. If the comparison does not result in a match, it is immediately known that a longer string of matched symbols has not been found and it maybe possible to omit additional comparing steps.