US 7,321,952 B2
System and method for data phase of memory and power efficient mechanism for fast table lookup
Madian Somasundaram, 12244 Windsor Ct., Los Altos Hills, Calif. 94022 (US)
Filed on Jul. 12, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/485,744.
Application 11/485744 is a division of application No. 10/964283, filed on Oct. 12, 2004, granted, now 7,162,572.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/510761, filed on Oct. 11, 2003.
Prior Publication US 2006/0253646 A1, Nov. 09, 2006
Int. Cl. G06F 12/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 711—108  [365/49] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for reading a content-addressable memory having a collection of memory elements wherein data entries in said content-addressable memory are in two or more groups with each of said groups having a set of distinguishing bit positions, wherein data entries within each group are fully distinguishable based upon a set of distinguishing bit values at said set of distinguishing bit positions, wherein said set of distinguishing bit positions can differ between groups, comprising the steps of:
receiving an input;
receiving a first set of said distinguishing bit positions for a first group of said two or more groups;
selecting a matching data entry from said first group, said matching data entry having first distinguishing bit values that match said input at said distinguishing bit positions; and
outputting an indicator corresponding to a location of said matching data entry in said content-addressable memory.