1. A method of matching input character sequences in a set of input patterns, comprising the steps of: analyzing the set of input patterns, each of the input patterns comprising a sequence of positions; creating a pattern cluster look-up table (PCLT) based on said input patterns; defining an offset value k; for each sequence s and the offset value k, using the PCLT to find a set of candidate patterns, starting at the kth position in each of the input patterns, that can possibly match said each sequence s; searching through the set of candidate patterns for patterns that match said each sequence s; and reporting all found matching patterns and sequences.