Content addressable memory of a simple construction capable of retrieving a variable word length data
First Claim
1. A content addressable memory comprising:
- a memory array composed of a number of memory words divided into a plurality of logical address memory blocks;
a plurality of retrieval sense amplifiers, each provided in common to a plurality of memory words of the same number as the number of said logical address memory blocks so hat said plurality of memory words are included, one in one, in said plurality of logical address memory blocks, respectively, and each of said logical address blocks is constituted of only a memory word of the logical address of the same rank within said plurality of memory words in common to each one of said plurality of retrieval sense amplifiers;
a plurality of hold means, each provided for a corresponding one of the retrieval sense amplifiers, for holding the result of retrieval outputted from the corresponding retrieval sense amplifier;
a plurality of logic operations processing means, each having a first input connected to an output of a corresponding one of said retrieval sense amplifiers, a second input connected to an output of a corresponding one of said hold means, and an output connected to an input of the corresponding hold means, each of said logical operation processing means executing a logic operation between the result of retrieval held in the corresponding hold means and the result of retrieval outputted from the corresponding retrieval sense amplifier, and the result of said logic operations being stored back in said corresponding hold means,the content addressable memory being so controlled that, when a retrieval is conducted, all the memory words included in a selected one of said plurality of logical address memory blocks are retrieved concurrently for the same retrieval data by means of the retrieval sense amplifiers, and said logic operation between the result of current retrieval outputted from each of said retrieval sense amplifiers and the result of the preceding retrieval held in the corresponding hold means is executed by the corresponding logic operation processing means, and the result of the logic operation executed is stored back in the same corresponding hold means.
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Abstract
A content addressable memory system includes one retrieval sense amplifier provided in common with a plurality of memory words. A logic operation between a result of retrieval outputted from the sense amplifier and the result of a preceding retrieval stored in a one-bit working register provided for the same sense amplifier is carried out by a control gate also provided for the same sense amplifier, and the result of the logic operation is stored back in the same working register. A plurality of working registers may be provided for each control gate and sense amplifier. The content addressable memory system can retrieve a variable word length data and can be realized with a reduced circuit area.
409 Citations
7 Claims
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1. A content addressable memory comprising:
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a memory array composed of a number of memory words divided into a plurality of logical address memory blocks; a plurality of retrieval sense amplifiers, each provided in common to a plurality of memory words of the same number as the number of said logical address memory blocks so hat said plurality of memory words are included, one in one, in said plurality of logical address memory blocks, respectively, and each of said logical address blocks is constituted of only a memory word of the logical address of the same rank within said plurality of memory words in common to each one of said plurality of retrieval sense amplifiers; a plurality of hold means, each provided for a corresponding one of the retrieval sense amplifiers, for holding the result of retrieval outputted from the corresponding retrieval sense amplifier; a plurality of logic operations processing means, each having a first input connected to an output of a corresponding one of said retrieval sense amplifiers, a second input connected to an output of a corresponding one of said hold means, and an output connected to an input of the corresponding hold means, each of said logical operation processing means executing a logic operation between the result of retrieval held in the corresponding hold means and the result of retrieval outputted from the corresponding retrieval sense amplifier, and the result of said logic operations being stored back in said corresponding hold means, the content addressable memory being so controlled that, when a retrieval is conducted, all the memory words included in a selected one of said plurality of logical address memory blocks are retrieved concurrently for the same retrieval data by means of the retrieval sense amplifiers, and said logic operation between the result of current retrieval outputted from each of said retrieval sense amplifiers and the result of the preceding retrieval held in the corresponding hold means is executed by the corresponding logic operation processing means, and the result of the logic operation executed is stored back in the same corresponding hold means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification