Patent ID: 6707692
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: G11C

Abstract:
A content addressable memory (CAM) device configured with binary CAM cells capable of holding binary data, the CAM device capable of being used either as a binary CAM device with the binary CAM cells being used as binary CAM cells or as a ternary CAM device with the binary CAM cells being used as ternary CAM cells capable of holding ternary data in a way in which, in each pair of two bits of the binary CAM cells, three states, â€œ0,â€  â€œ1,â€  and â€œX (don't care)â€  are assigned to four states, â€œ00,â€  â€œ01,â€  â€œ10,â€  and â€œ11,â€  expressed by two-bit data stored in the pair, wherein:each of the pairs of the binary CAM cells constituting the ternary CAM cells is included in two different CAM words; and the two different CAM words are an even word having an even word number and an odd word having the odd word number following the even word number.