Patent ID: 7346731

Claim:
A system of content addressable memories (CAMs) for providing a search result in response to a received search word, comprising: a first content addressable memory (CAM) device; a plurality of global match (GMAT) lines and a dummy match line and their associated outputs of the first CAM device coupled to associated plurality of GMAT lines, dummy match lines, their associated outputs of a second through nth CAM device, respectively, wherein the plurality of GMAT lines of the first CAM device to couple to receive a portion of the search word, and wherein the dummy match line of the first CAM device to couple to receive a single mismatch signal which emulates a clock signal; a match latch circuit, wherein the match latch circuit has a plurality of latches, wherein the plurality of latches is coupled via the associated plurality of GMAT lines, the associated dummy match line used to clock match latches and the associated outputs to the nth CAM device that stores associated match signals received from the nth CAM device; and a priority encoder coupled to the match latch circuit that receives the match signals from the match latch circuit and outputs the search result upon receiving the clock signal via the dummy match line associated with each CAM, wherein the outputted search result is a combined search result obtained from outputted search results of each of the first through nth CAM device.