Patent ID: 7788444
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: G06F,G11C

Abstract:
1. A method, in a data processing device, for detecting a multiple hit condition in an associative memory, comprising: precharging a hit bitline associated with the associative memory to a high voltage level; adjusting a voltage of the hit bitline with each determined match of compare data to data stored in wordlines of the associative memory; and detecting a multiple hit condition in the associative memory when the voltage of the hit bitline has a predetermined relationship with a threshold voltage, wherein the threshold voltage is a threshold voltage of a multi-hit detection inverter, coupled to the hit bitline, which inverts the voltage of the hit bitline to output a high state multi-hit signal in response to the voltage of the hit bitline being equal to or lower than the threshold voltage of the multi-hit detection inverter.