Patent ID: 6980452
Filing Date: 2005-12-27
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. An associative memory which stores a mask information therein corresponding to each single or each plural words of storage data, the mask information enabling to set in accordance with a valid state or an invalid state whether or not each single bit or each plural bits of the storage data is excluded from a search object, said associative memory comprising: a first circuit means for conducting a primary search operation for each single word of the storage data so as to exclude a single or plural bits of the storage data from the search object with use of an external search data input to the memory when the mask information corresponding to each single word is in a valid state; a second circuit means for selecting a single or plural words as a candidate data; a third circuit means for conducting a logical AND operation to obtain a matched mask logical AND information between each mask information corresponding to the selected candidate data, with assuming the valid state of the mask information as true; and a fourth circuit means for conducting a first logical operation between the matched mask logical AND information and the search data.