A METHOD OF CLASSIFYING PACKETS USING AREA DECOMPOSITION BASED ON PRIORITY AND APPARATUS FOR RELAYING PACKETS THEREFOR

A packet classification method using priority-based area decomposition and a packet repeater applied with the method are provided to decrease a search area exponentially as performing a searching process based on priority by combining a linear searching structure with a recursive area decomposition method, thereby shortening searching time. A packet classification table for defining classes of packets based on at least one packet field is generated(S100). Trees are generated and stored for each rule included in the generated packet classification table(S120). A bit to be used for classification is extracted from packets inputted to a packet repeater, and a flow condition is generated(S140). The stored trees are searched to find a rule matched with the flow condition(S160). A service is provided on the basis of class information included in the rule matched with the searched flow condition(S180).