character but u201c j u201d is acceptable fig1 e illustrates case 1130 where pattern 601 matches a sequence in input data 750 and the opcodes 602 are set to u201c match u201d in clock cycle 1 pointer 614 starts at the byte u201c l u201d in pattern 601 the first byte of input data 750 is also an u201c l u201d opcode 602 for the first byte in pattern 601 is set to u201c match u201d since the first byte of input data 750 and pattern 601 compare and opcode 601 is set to u201c match u201d the pointer 614 is incremented to the second byte in pattern 601 which is an u201c m u201d in the second clock cycle the second byte in input pattern 750 u201c m u201d is compared to the second byte in pattern 601 u201c m u201d the opcode 602 for the second byte u201c m u201d of pattern 602 is set to u201c match u201d since these two bytes compare the pointer 614 is again incremented in clock cycle 3 the third byte u201c n u201d in input data 750 is compared to the third byte u201c m u201d in pattern 602 since they compare the pointer is again incremented fig1 e illustrates a partial match of u201c lmn u201d in pattern 601 to the sequence u201c lmn u201d in input data 750 fig1 f illustrates case 1150 where there is not a pattern match and the wildcard opcode.