Abstract: A structural matching engine for non-deterministic filtering operations is provided. The structural matching engine includes an active node processor (ANP) configured to process a state of an active list to determine possible future states of a non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA). The ANP processes the state according to rules. The structural matching engine includes an active list processor (ALP) configured to initiate a lookup for a token value corresponding to the state of the active list. The ALP provides a next sate of the active list to the ANP for processing according to the rules upon completion of the processing of the state by the ANP, wherein the possible future states of the NFA are linked by the ALP to form a target list, the target list stacked on top of the active list in a data structure. A processor and a method for filtering data associated with non-deterministic states are also included.

Abstract: A system and method for avoiding internet congestion that employs a pseudo-serving mechanism that entails the use of a contract method of cooperatively sharing retained resources within the normal body of network requesters which thereby reduces the burden on heavily loaded servers and lowers both data congestion and expected user response times. Requesters, or their proxies, can elect to improve data access time by contracting for the data, whereby they warrant that they shall serve resources on a limited basis in exchange for speedier access to the data, the access to which is either granted directly, or through another pseudo-server. Congested servers thereby share their burden with the requesters constituting the burden, while requesting servers may exchange their unused bandwidth and memory resource for faster data access. Security features along with the fundamental incentives of the method allow for operation with variously uncooperative network servers.