Cam with additional row cells connected to match line
First Claim
1. A method of accessing a content addressable memory having a plurality of RAM cells connected in an array of rows and columns, each row having a plurality of cells for storing a data word, at least one additional cell for storing a checking bit and a match line for providing a signal to indicate when a match occurs between an input data word and data stored in a row of cells, which method comprises storing in at least one row of cells a data word in data cells of the row and a checking bit in said at least one additonal cell of the row, the checking bit having a value dependent on the content of the data word in accordance with an error checking system, and controlling a memory accessing system to effect an associate operation by inputting to the columns of cells an input word with an input checking bit dependent on said input word in accordance with the same error checking system, comparing the input word and input checking bit with stored contents of each row of cells and in any row where a mismatch of the input data word with the stored data word occurs causing at least two cells in that row to change a signal level on a match line for that row, said memory accessing system being arranged to operate with a time delay for each associate operation which is less than that required for a single cell mismatch.
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Abstract
A method of accessing a content addressable memory having a plurality of RAM cells connected in an array of rows and columns, each row having a plurality of cells for storing a data word, at least one additional cell for storing a checking bit and a match line for providing a signal to indicate when a match occurs between an input data word and data stored in a row of cells, which method comprises storing in at least one row of cells a data word in data cells of the row and a checking bit in said at least one additonal cell of the row, the checking bit having a value dependent on the content of the data word in accordance with an error checking system, and controlling a memory accessing system to effect an associate operation by inputting to the columns of cells an input word with an input checking bit dependent on said input word in accordance with the same error checking system, comparing the input word and input checking bit with stored contents of each row of cells and in any row where a mismatch of the input data word with the stored data word occurs causing at least two cells in that row to change a signal level on a match line for that row, said memory accessing system being arranged to operate with a time delay for each associate operation which is less than that required for a single cell mismatch. The invention also provides a content addressable memory.
216 Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A method of accessing a content addressable memory having a plurality of RAM cells connected in an array of rows and columns, each row having a plurality of cells for storing a data word, at least one additional cell for storing a checking bit and a match line for providing a signal to indicate when a match occurs between an input data word and data stored in a row of cells, which method comprises storing in at least one row of cells a data word in data cells of the row and a checking bit in said at least one additonal cell of the row, the checking bit having a value dependent on the content of the data word in accordance with an error checking system, and controlling a memory accessing system to effect an associate operation by inputting to the columns of cells an input word with an input checking bit dependent on said input word in accordance with the same error checking system, comparing the input word and input checking bit with stored contents of each row of cells and in any row where a mismatch of the input data word with the stored data word occurs causing at least two cells in that row to change a signal level on a match line for that row, said memory accessing system being arranged to operate with a time delay for each associate operation which is less than that required for a single cell mismatch.
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5. In a content addressable memory having an array of cells organized as a plurality of rows and columns, means for comparing data stored in the cells of each row with an input value, a match line associated with each row connected to the cells in the associated row, and a discharge circuit connected to each cell to discharge the match line if that cell does not match a corresponding bit of the input value, wherein the match line for each row is precharged to a first value prior to an associate operation, and, during an associate operation, is discharged to a second value through the discharge circuitry connected to all cells in each row which do not match the corresponding bits of the input value, the improvement comprising:
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for each row, at least one additional cell having a value stored therein which is a function of the data stored in the cells of the row, wherein the function causes the additional cell to not match a corresponding additional bit in the input value when exactly one of the cells in the row, which store data, does not match its corresponding bit in the input value; and for each additional cell, a discharge circuit connected to the match line of the corresponding row to discharge the match line if that additional cell does not match the corresponding additional bit of the input value. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification