6. An apparatus for accessing a rule memory bank for use with a pattern matching search engine, comprising: a first rule memory bank operative to store either default rules or transition rules; a second rule memory bank operative to store either default rules or transition rules; a rule memory bank access circuit coupled to said first rule memory bank and said second rule memory bank, said rule memory bank access circuit operative allow independent access between said pattern matching search engine and the contents of said first rule memory bank and said second rule memory bank; a rule bank swapping circuit operative to: configure said first rule memory bank to store default rules and said second rule memory bank to store transition rules in accordance with a first pattern context; and configure said first rule memory bank to store transition rules and said second rule memory bank to store default rules in accordance with a second pattern context.
6. An apparatus for accessing a rule memory bank for use with a pattern matching search engine, comprising: a first rule memory bank operative to store either default rules or transition rules; a second rule memory bank operative to store either default rules or transition rules; a rule memory bank access circuit coupled to said first rule memory bank and said second rule memory bank, said rule memory bank access circuit operative allow independent access between said pattern matching search engine and the contents of said first rule memory bank and said second rule memory bank; a rule bank swapping circuit operative to: configure said first rule memory bank to store default rules and said second rule memory bank to store transition rules in accordance with a first pattern context; and configure said first rule memory bank to store transition rules and said second rule memory bank to store default rules in accordance with a second pattern context. 8. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein, in accordance with each pattern context, said rule bank swapping circuit is operative to assign said first rule memory bank to hold either default or transition rules while said second rule memory bank is assigned to hold either transition or default rules, respectively.