Patent ID: 6795325
Filing Date: 2004-09-21
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A semiconductor memory comprising:a memory cell block that consists of L memory cells each for storing 1-bit digital value, where L is an integer equal to mth power of 2, and stores memory data expressing a combination of digital values stored in the individual memory cells in terms of an M-bit digital value, where M is a positive integer equal to or greater than two; search lines on which 1-bit digital values are set to be matched with the digital values stored in the memory cells; a search data setting section for setting search data expressing the combination of the L-bit digital values in terms of the M-bit digital value by setting the 1-bit digital values on the L search lines; a match section for making a match/mismatch decision between the memory data and the search data by matching the digital value stored in the memory cells constituting the memory cell block with the digital value set on the search lines connected to the memory cells; and an output section for outputting a decision result of said match section.