foreach ($rule as $currentRule) {
            $param = [];

            $currentRule = strtolower($currentRule);  // TOO EARLY | NOT NEEDED?

            if ($currentRule === 'optional') {
                continue;
            }

            if ($currentRule === 'expanded') {
                continue;
            }

            if (preg_match('/^[a-zA-Z]+<(.*(\|.*)*)>$/', $currentRule)) {  // MOVE UP??
                $ruleParts = explode('<', $currentRule);
                $ruleParams = str_replace('>', '', $ruleParts[1]);

                $currentRule = $ruleParts[0];
                $param = $ruleParams;
            }

            if (strpos($currentRule, ':') !== false && strpos($currentRule, '|') === false) {  // MOVE UP??
                $ruleParts = explode(':', $currentRule);

                $currentRule = trim($ruleParts[0]);
                $param = $ruleParts[1] ? trim($ruleParts[1]) : null;
            }