Detection of multiple hits within a device having multiple sense outputs
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting and distinguishing between single and multiple hits within a device having multiple sense outputs, comprising:
- a first group of detectors for detecting sense outputs of a multiple sense output device, the detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output of the device and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense output; and
a second group of detectors for detecting sense outputs of a multiple sense output device, the detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output of the device and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense output,the sense outputs being associated with the detectors of the two groups in such a way that no subgroup of the first group has more than one sense output in common with a subgroup of the second group.
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Abstract
A hit detector for detecting and distinguishing between single and multiple hits within a device having multiple sense outputs, such as content-addressable memory (CAM). For a 64-word CAM, the hit detector has three stages. The first stage is a set of two matrices of individual detectors connected to sense lines of the CAM for detecting single or multiple hits indicated by one or more sense lines. The second stage is a set of four matrices, two each connected to the outputs of a matrix of the first stage for resolving the outputs of the first stage. The third stage is combinational logic for resolving the outputs from the second stage. The matrices of the first stage are groups of individual detectors divided into subgroups, with each detector within a subgroup associated with a separate sense line of the CAM. All detectors within a subgroup share a common detect line that indicates a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense line. The sense lines are associated with the two matrices in different order so that no subgroup of the first matrix has more than one sense line in common with a subgroup of the second matrix. This ordering ensures that a multiple hit causes more than one detect line in at least one of the matrices to indicate a hit.
33 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for detecting and distinguishing between single and multiple hits within a device having multiple sense outputs, comprising:
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a first group of detectors for detecting sense outputs of a multiple sense output device, the detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output of the device and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense output; and a second group of detectors for detecting sense outputs of a multiple sense output device, the detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output of the device and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense output, the sense outputs being associated with the detectors of the two groups in such a way that no subgroup of the first group has more than one sense output in common with a subgroup of the second group. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for detecting and distinguishing between single and multiple hits within a content-addressable memory having sense line outputs connected to its memory locations for indicating a hit at a memory address, comprising:
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a first group of detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense line of the content-addressable memory and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense line; and a second group of detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense line of the content-addressable memory and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit from an associated sense line, the sense line outputs being associated with the detectors of the two groups in such a way that multiple hits within the content-addressable memory cause at least one of the two groups to indicate a hit on more than one detect line. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for detecting and distinguishing between single and multiple hits within a device having multiple sense outputs, comprising:
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providing a first group of individual detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit; providing a second group of individual detectors divided into subgroups, each detector within a subgroup associated with a sense output and sharing a detect line with other detectors within the subgroup, the detect line indicating a hit if one or more detectors within the subgroup detects a hit; arranging each of the sense outputs with the detectors in the first and second groups in such a way that multiple hits within the device cause at least one of the two groups to indicate a hit on more than one detect line within a group. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification