Patent ID: 7707330
Filing Date: 2010-04-27
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
1. A switch comprising: a plurality of ports configured to exchange data; and a shared memory configured to enable the exchange of data for a selected one of a plurality of word-widths between first and second ones of the plurality of ports, wherein the shared memory is further configured to enable the selected word-width to be programmatically provided to the shared memory, and wherein the shared memory includes: an array of memory cells arranged as a plurality of rows and a single column having a width equal to a predetermined word-width that differs from at least the selected word-width; circuitry configured to write data presented at the first one of the plurality of ports into a selected row in the array during a first time period to read the data from the selected row during a second time period, and to output the read data at the second one of the plurality of ports, wherein the circuitry is further configured to bridge the selected word-width and the pre-determined word-width.