Author: claimsbot

1. A method for skiving a first work piece and a second work piece having rotationally-symmetric, periodic structures utilizing a skiving tool, the method comprising the following steps:
moving a skiving tool into a first relative position in relation to a first work piece,
executing a first skiving machining action of the first work piece, wherein one of (i) all right flanks and (ii) all left flanks of the periodic structure of the first work piece are finish machined, and the other of the all right flanks and the all left flanks are premachined,
moving the skiving tool into a second relative position in relation to the first work piece,
executing a second skiving machining action of the first work piece, wherein the flanks premachined during the first skiving machining action are finish machined,
moving the skiving tool into a third relative position in relation to a second work piece,
executing a third skiving machining action of the second work piece, wherein one of (i) all right flanks and (ii) all left flanks of the periodic structure of the second work piece that are opposite to the one of the all right flanks and all left flanks finish machined during the first skiving action, are finish machined, and the other of the all right flanks and all left flanks of the second work piece are premachined,
moving the skiving tool into a fourth relative position in relation to the second work piece, and
executing a fourth skiving machining action of the second work piece, wherein the flanks premachined during the third skiving machining action are finish machined.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second skiving machining actions of the first work piece comprise the following steps:
rotating the skiving tool about a first rotational axis,
coupledly rotating the first work piece about a second rotational axis, and
executing an axial feed movement of the skiving tool relative to the first work piece in a direction parallel to the second rotational axis.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the third and fourth skiving machining actions of the second work piece comprise the following steps:
rotating the skiving tool around a first rotational axis,
coupledly rotating the second work piece around a second rotational axis, and
executing an axial feed movement of the skiving tool relative to the second work piece in a direction parallel to the second rotational axis.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the skiving tool comprises multiple cutting teeth, each comprising a first flank cutting edge for cutting right flanks of a work piece, a second flank cutting edge for cutting left flanks of a work piece, and a head cutting edge, which lies in a transition region between the first flank cutting edge and the second flank cutting edge.
5. A method according to claim 4, including performing the skiving machining actions wherein the total number of cuts executed with the first flank cutting edges during the skiving machining actions of the first work piece and the second work piece are approximately equal to the total number of cuts executed with the second flank cutting edges during the skiving machining actions of the first work piece and the second work piece.
6. A method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second work pieces define gaps to be finished, and the head cutting edges define widths that are smaller than a respective width at a base of the gaps.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the widths of the head cutting edges define widths that are less than or equal to approximately \u2154 of the respective width at the base of the gaps.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the first, second, third and fourth relative positions differ from one another with respect to an angle of rotation of the first work piece or the second work piece relative thereto.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second relative position of the skiving tool with respect to the first work piece corresponds to the third relative position of the skiving tool with respect to the second work piece and the first relative position of the skiving tool with respect to the first work piece corresponds to the fourth relative position of the skiving tool with respect to the second work piece.
10. A method accord to claim 1, including executing the skiving machining actions on soft or unhardened work pieces.
11. A machine having a CNC controller, programmed and adapted to execute the following steps:
moving a skiving tool into a first relative position in relation to a first work piece,
executing a first skiving machining action of the first work piece, wherein one of (i) all right flanks and (ii) all left flanks of the periodic structure of the first work piece are finish machined, and the other of the all right flanks and the all left flanks are premachined,
moving the skiving tool into a second relative position in relation to the first work piece,
executing a second skiving machining action of the first work piece, wherein the flanks premachined during the first skiving machining action are finish machined,
moving the skiving tool into a third relative position in relation to a second work piece,
executing a third skiving machining action of the second work piece, wherein one of (i) all right flanks and (ii) all left flanks of the periodic structure of the second work piece that are opposite to the one of the all right flanks and all left flanks finish machined during the first skiving action, are finish machined, and the other of the all right flanks and all left flanks of the second work piece are premachined,
moving the skiving tool into a fourth relative position in relation to the second work piece, and
executing a fourth skiving machining action of the second work piece, wherein the flanks premachined during the third skiving machining action are finish machined.
12. A machine according to claim 11, further comprising a software module programmed and adapted to execute predefined alternating semi-completing skiving to effect substantially uniform cutting load of cutting edges of the skiving tool.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing a wafer with a plurality of electron beams, comprising a multi-axis that comprises:
a plurality of magnetic conductive member arranged to be substantially parallel to each other, said magnetic conductive members having a plurality of openings; and
a non-magnetic conductive member provided between said plurality of magnetic conductive members, said non-magnetic conductive member having a plurality of through holes,
wherein said plurality of openings of said magnetic conductive members and said plurality of through holes of said non-magnetic conductive members forming together a plurality of lens openings operable to converge said plurality of electron beams independently of each other, by allowing said plurality of electron beams to pass therethrough, respectively.
2. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said multi-axis electron lens further includes a coil part having a coil provided in an area surrounding said magnetic conductive members for generating a magnetic field and a coil magnetic conductive member provided in an area surrounding said coil.
3. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said coil magnetic conductive member is formed from a material having a different magnetic permeability from that of a material for said plurality of magnetic conductive members.
4. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of electron guns operable to generate said plurality of electron beams; and
a voltage controller, electrically connected to said plurality of electron guns, operable to apply different voltages to said plurality of electron guns.
5. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said voltage controller includes a means operable to apply said different voltages to said plurality of electron guns depending on magnetic filed intensities applied to said plurality of electron guns by said multi-axis electron lens.
6. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said voltage controller includes a means operable to apply said different voltages to said plurality of electron guns in such a manner that sides of cross sections of said plurality of electron beams are substantially parallel to each other.
7. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said voltage controller includes a means operable to apply said different voltages to said plurality of electron guns in such a manner that positions of focal points of said plurality of electron beams are substantially the same.
8. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said voltage controller includes:
a voltage generator operable to generate a predetermined voltage; and
a means operable to increase or reduce said predetermined voltage to apply said different voltages to said plurality of electron guns.
9. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a further multi-axis electron lens operable to reduce cross sections of said electron beams.
10. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electron beam shaping unit that comprises:
a first shaping member having a plurality of first shaping openings operable to shape said plurality of electron beams;
a first shaping-deflecting unit operable to deflect said plurality of electron beams after passing through said first shaping member, independently of each other; and
a second shaping member having a plurality of second shaping openings operable to shape said plurality of electron beams after passing through said first shaping-deflecting unit to have desired shapes.
11. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electron beam shaping unit further includes a second shaping-deflecting unit operable to deflect said plurality of electron beams deflected by said first shaping-deflecting unit independently of each other toward a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of said wafer onto which said electron beams are incident,
wherein said electron beam shaping unit allows said plurality of electron beams deflected by said second shaping-deflecting unit to pass through said second shaping member so as to shape said electron beams to have said desired shapes.
12. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second shaping member includes a plurality of shaping-member illumination areas onto which said electron beams deflected by the second shaping-deflecting unit are incident, and
said second shaping member includes said second shaping openings and other openings having different sizes from sizes of said second shaping openings in said shaping-member illumination area.
13. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 10, further comprising:
a plurality of electron guns operable to generate said plurality of electron beams; and
a further multi-axis electron lens operable to converge said plurality of electron beams generated by said plurality of electron guns to make said converged electron beams incident on said first shaping member,
wherein said first shaping member divides said electron beams after passing through said further multi-axis electron lens.
14. An electron beam exposure apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of multi-axis electron lenses each having said plurality of magnetic conductive members and said non-magnetic conductive member are provided.
15. An electron lens for converging a plurality of electron beams independently of each other, comprising:
a plurality of magnetic conductive members arranged to be substantially parallel to each other, said magnetic conductive members having a plurality of openings; and
a non-magnetic conductive member provided between said plurality of magnetic conductive members, said non-magnetic conductive member having a plurality of through holes,
wherein said plurality of openings of said magnetic conductive members and said through holes of said non-magnetic conductive member form together a plurality of lens openings allowing said plurality of electron beams to pass therethrough, respectively, to converge said electron beams independently of each other.
16. A fabrication method of a semiconductor device on a wafer, comprising:
performing focus adjustments for said plurality of electron beams independently of each other by using a multi-axis electron lens including a plurality of magnetic conductive members arranged to be substantially parallel to each other, said magnetic conductive members having a plurality of openings that form a plurality of lens openings allowing said plurality of electron beams to pass therethrough, respectively; and
exposing a pattern onto said wafer by illuminating said wafer with said plurality of electron beams.

1. An image capturing device, comprising:
a first image capturing module, comprising:
a first lens module;
a first image sensor disposed corresponding to said first lens module and comprising a plurality of first phase focusing detectors and a plurality of first image sensing pixels to provide respectively a plurality of first sets of optical sensing signals and a first image; and
a first focusing device connected to said first lens module for adjusting a position of said first lens module;

a second image capturing module, comprising:
a second lens module with a field of view smaller than a field of view of said first lens module;
a second image sensor disposed corresponding to said second lens module and comprising a plurality of second phase focusing detectors and a plurality of second image sensing pixels to provide respectively a plurality of second sets of optical sensing signals and a second image; and
a second focusing device connected to said second lens module for adjusting a position of said second lens module; and

a focusing and image processing module electrically connected to said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module;
wherein said first focusing device and said second focusing device adjust respectively a position of said first lens module and a position of said second lens module according to said first focal signal when one of said first sets of optical sensing signals are selected by said focusing and image processing module to correspondingly provide a first focal signal to said first focusing device and said second focusing device; and said first focusing device and said second focusing device adjust respectively said position of said first lens module and said position of said second lens module according to said second focal signal when one of said second sets of optical sensing signals are selected by said focusing and image processing module to correspondingly provide a second focal signal to said first focusing device and said second focusing device.
2. The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein a distribution density of said first phase focusing detectors in a first region of said first image capturing module is higher than a distribution density of said first phase focusing detectors in a second region of said first image capturing module, wherein said first region corresponds to a non-overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module, and said second region corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module.
3. The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein said first phase focusing detectors are distributed in a first region of said first image capturing module, and said first region corresponds to a non-overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module.
4. The image capturing device of claim 1, wherein said focusing and image processing module decides whether a contrast value of said second image being focused within a focal region is a maximal contrast value or exceeds a threshold value when said focusing and image processing module provides said first focal signal according to said one of said first sets of optical sensing signals, and drives said second focusing device to move said second lens module so that said contrast value of said second image being focused within said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said contrast value of said second image being focused within said focal region is not said maximal contrast value or does not exceed said threshold value, wherein one of said first phase focusing detectors that provides said selected one of said first sets of optical sensing signals corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module; wherein said focusing and image processing module decides whether said contrast value of said first image being focused within said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said focusing and image processing module provides said second focal signal according to said second sets of optical sensing signals, and drives said first focusing device to move said first lens module so that said contrast value of said first image being focused within said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said contrast value of said first image being focused within said focal region is not said maximal contrast value or does not exceed said threshold value, wherein one of said second phase focusing detectors that provides said selected one of said second sets of optical sensing signals corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module.
5. An auto-focusing method for use with an image capturing device, said image capturing device comprising a plurality of image capturing modules and a focusing and image processing module, said image capturing modules comprising a first image capturing module and a second image capturing module, a field of view of said first image capturing module being larger than a field of view of said second image capturing module, and said first image capturing module comprising a plurality of first phase focusing detectors, wherein said auto-focusing method comprises steps of:
providing a plurality of first sets of optical sensing signals from said first phase focusing detectors;
selecting one of said first sets of optical sensing signals by said focusing and image processing module to provide a first focal signal; and
adjusting respective focal distances of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module according to said first focal signal.
6. The auto-focusing method of claim 5, wherein said second image capturing module comprises a plurality of second phase focusing detectors, said auto-focusing method further comprises steps of:
providing a plurality of second sets of optical sensing signals from said second phase focusing detectors;
selecting one of said second sets of optical sensing signals by said focusing and image processing module to provide a second focal signal; and
respectively adjusting said focal distances of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module according to said second focal signal.
7. The auto-focusing method of claim 5, further comprising steps of:
deciding by said focusing and image processing module whether a contrast value of a second image being focused by said second image capturing module within a focal region is a maximal contrast value or exceeds a threshold value when one of said first sets of optical sensing signals are selected for focusing, wherein one of said first phase focusing detectors that provides said selected one of said first sets of optical sensing signals corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module; and
using contrast detection focusing by said focusing and image processing module to adjust said focal distance of said second image capturing module so that said contrast value in said second image in said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said contrast value of said second image in said focal region is not said maximal contrast value or does not exceed said threshold value.
8. The auto-focusing method of claim 6, further comprising steps of:
deciding by said focusing and image processing module whether a contrast value of a second image being focused by said second image capturing module within a focal region is a maximal contrast value or exceeds a threshold value when one of said first sets of optical sensing signals are selected for focusing, wherein one of said first phase focusing detectors that provides said selected one of said first sets of optical sensing signals corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module; and
using contrast detection focusing by said focusing and image processing module to adjust said focal distance of said second image capturing module so that said contrast value in said second image in said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said contrast value of said second image in said focal region is not said maximal contrast value or does not exceed said threshold value.
9. The auto-focusing method of claim 8, further comprising steps of:
deciding by said focusing and image processing module whether a contrast value of a first image being focused by said first image capturing module within a focal region is a maximal contrast value or exceeds a threshold value when one of said second sets of optical sensing signals are selected for focusing, wherein one of said second phase focusing detectors that provides said selected one of said second sets of optical sensing signals corresponds to an overlapped region of said fields of view of said first image capturing module and said second image capturing module; and
using contrast detection focusing by said focusing and image processing module to adjust said focal distance of said first image capturing module so that said contrast value in said first image in said focal region is said maximal contrast value or exceeds said threshold value when said contrast value of said first image in said focal region is not said maximal contrast value or does not exceed said threshold value.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A system for routing packets comprising:
a router management device for associating destination address information to a router hierarchy comprising a plurality of levels, wherein the router management device is configured to, for each level of the router hierarchy, dynamically assign one or more router devices to a portion of incoming packets based at least in part on traffic volume associated with one or more destination addresses of the incoming packets;
one or more router devices corresponding to a first level of the router hierarchy;
one or more router devices corresponding to a second level of the router hierarchy, the second level of the router hierarchy for processing an incoming packet for routing received from at least one of the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of a router hierarchy, wherein the one or more router devices corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy are associated with a first memory and a second memory for storing destination address information, the first memory associated with a faster access time than the second memory, wherein the router management device allocates a portion of incoming packets to each router device corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy based at least in part on a first subset of destination addresses of incoming packets; and
one or more router devices corresponding to a third level of the router hierarchy, the third level of the router hierarchy for processing an incoming packet for routing received from at least one of the one or more router devices corresponding to the second level of a router hierarchy, wherein the router management device allocates a portion of incoming packets to each router device corresponding to the third level based at least in part on a second subset of destination addresses of incoming
wherein the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of a router hierarchy receive, for routing, an incoming packet comprising a destination address, and identify at least one router device corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy based on at least in part a first subset of the destination address of the incoming packet,
wherein the at least one router device corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy identifies at least one router device corresponding to the third level of the router hierarchy based at least in part on a second subset of the destination address of the incoming packet, and wherein the second subset of the destination address is greater than the first subset of the destination address; and
wherein the at least one router device corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy attempts to identify the at least one router device corresponding to the third level of the router hierarchy from address information persisted in the first memory and, if the address information is not available in the first memory, the at least one router device corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy attempts to identify the one or more router devices from address information persisted in the second memory.
2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the portions of incoming packets that are allocated to each router device of the second level of the router hierarchy each correspond to more address information than can be persisted in the first memory of the one or more router devices corresponding to a second level of a router hierarchy.
3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more router devices corresponding to a first level of a router hierarchy are selected in accordance with one of random selection, round robin selection, hashing and load balancing.
4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the destination address corresponds to an IP address.
5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the first subset of the IP address corresponds to the eight most significant bits of the IP address.
6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the first subset of the IP address corresponds to at least one of the sixteen or twenty four most significant bits of the IP address.
7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of the one or more router devices corresponding to a first level of the router hierarchy are implemented in a common physical router device.
8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of the one or more router devices corresponding to a second level of the router hierarchy are implemented in a common physical router device.
9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of the one or more router devices corresponding to a third level of the router hierarchy are implemented in a common physical router device.
10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two of a router device of the first level of the router hierarchy, a router device of the second level of the router hierarchy, or a router device of the third level of the router hierarchy are implemented by at least one physical router device.
11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of the router hierarchy are associated with a first memory and a second memory for storing destination address information, wherein the first memory is associated with a faster access time than the second memory and wherein the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of the router hierarchy attempt to identify the one or more router devices corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy from address information persisted in the first memory of the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of the router hierarchy and, if the address information is not available in the first memory of the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of the router hierarchy attempt to identify the one or more router devices corresponding to the second level of the router hierarchy from address information persisted in the second memory of the one or more router devices corresponding to the first level of the router hierarchy.
12. A system for routing packets comprising:
a first set of router devices;
a second set of router devices for routing packet received from the first set of router devices, the second set of router devices associated with a physical router having a first memory and a second memory, wherein each of the second set of router devices is dynamically correlated to a portion of incoming packets by a router management device based at least in part on a first subset of destination addresses of incoming packets, and wherein each portion of incoming packets is determined based on traffic volumes associated with destination addresses of each portion of the incoming packets; and
a third set of router devices for routing packets received from the second set of router devices wherein each of the third set of router devices is dynamically correlated to a portion of incoming packets by the router management device based at least in part on a second subset of destination addresses of incoming packets, and wherein each portion of incoming packets is determined based on traffic volumes associated destination addresses of with each portion of the incoming packets;
wherein the first set of router devices identify a router from the second set of router devices correlated to an incoming packet comprising a destination address based at least in part on a first subset of a destination address of the incoming packet; and
wherein the second set of router devices identify a router from the third set of router devices correlated to the incoming packet based at least in part on a second subset of the destination address of the incoming packet by examining address information in the first memory and, if the address information is not persisted in the first memory by examining address information persisted in the second memory.
13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein each router device from the second set of router devices is correlated to a portion of incoming packets based at least in part on a combination of an association of traffic volumes for destination addresses of the incoming packets and an equal allocation of remaining destination addresses of the incoming packets.
14. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein each router device of the second set of router devices is associated with a threshold number of destination addresses maintainable in the first memory of the device, and wherein at least one of the second set of router devices is correlated with a portion of incoming packets containing more than the threshold number of destination addresses maintainable in the first memory of the at least one router device.
15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein each router device from the second set of router devices is correlated to a portion of incoming packets based at least in part on an association of tow traffic volumes for destination addresses of the incoming packets.
16. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein a plurality of router devices from the second set of router devices are correlated to the same portion of incoming packets.
17. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein first set of router devices are selected in accordance with one of random selection, round robin selection, hash selection and load balancing.
18. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the destination address corresponds to an IP address.
19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the first subset of the IP address corresponds to the eight most significant bits of the IP address.
20. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the first subset of the IP address corresponds to at least one of the sixteen or twenty four most significant bits of the IP address.
21. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein two or more of the first set of router devices correspond to a single physical router device.
22. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein two or more of the second set of router devices correspond to a single physical router device.
23. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein two or more of the third set of router devices correspond to a single physical router device.
24. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of the set of first router devices, at least one of the second set of router devices, and at least one of the third set of router devices correspond to a single physical router device.
25. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the router management device dynamically modifies the address information in the first memory.
26. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the first set of router devices are associated with a physical router having a first memory and a second memory.
27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the first set of router devices identify a router device from the second set of router devices based at least in part on a second subset of a destination address associated with the incoming packet by examining address information in the first memory and, if the address information is not persisted in the first memory, by examining address information persisted in the second memory.
28. A method for routing packets comprising:
obtaining a routing request corresponding to a data packet received from a first communication network;
identifying a first router of a first level of a router hierarchy, the first level of the router hierarchy comprising one or more router components;
forwarding the received data packet to the identified first router;
identifying a second router component of a second level of the router hierarchy, wherein the second level of the router hierarchy comprises one or more router components, wherein each of the one or more router components of the second level is dynamically associated with a portion of incoming data packets, and wherein each portion of incoming data packets is determined based at least in part on traffic volumes associated with destination addresses of the portion of incoming data packets and on a first subset of destination addresses of the incoming data packets;
forwarding the received data packet to the identified second router; and
identifying a third router component of a third level of the router hierarchy, wherein the third level of the router hierarchy comprises one or more router components, wherein each of the one or more router components of the third level is dynamically associated with a portion of incoming data packets, wherein each portion of incoming data packets is determined based at least in part on traffic volumes associated with destination addresses of the portion of incoming data packets and on a second subset of destination addresses of incoming data packets, and wherein identifying a third router component of a third level of the router hierarchy corresponds to examining address information persisted in a first memory associated with the identified second router component and if the address information is not available, examining address information persisted in a second memory associated with the identified second router component;
wherein identifying the second router component of the second level of the router hierarchy is based at least in part on a first subset of a destination address of the received data packet;
wherein the address information is provided by a router management component and cannot be persisted entirely in the first memory associated with the identified second router; and
wherein identifying the third router component of the third level of the router hierarchy is based at least in part on a second subset of the destination address of the received data packet.
29. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein each of the one or more router components from the second level of the router hierarchy is associated with a portion of incoming data packets based on a combination of an association of traffic volumes for destination addresses of the incoming data packets and an equal allocation of remaining destination addresses of the incoming data packets.
30. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein each router component of the second level of the router hierarchy are associated with a portion of incoming packets corresponding to a threshold number of destination addresses maintainable in a first memory of the router component, and wherein at least one of the second set of logical router components is associated with a portion of incoming packets corresponding to more than the threshold number of destination addresses maintainable in the first memory of the at least one router component.
31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the each of the one or more router components of the second level of the router hierarchy is associated with a portion of incoming data packets based at least in part on an association of low traffic volumes for destination addresses.
32. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein each of the one or more router components of the second set of logical router components are associated with the same portion of incoming data packets.
33. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein first set of logical router components are selected in accordance with one of random selection, round robin selection, hash selection and load balancing.
34. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the destination address corresponds to an IP address.
35. The method as recited in claim 28 further comprising dynamically modifying the address information provided by the router management component and persisted in the first memory associated with the identified second router, wherein the dynamically modified address information provided by the router management component cannot be persisted entirely in the first memory component associated with the identified second router.