Patent ID: 7107258

Claim:
A search engine, comprising: a controller to provide a search value representing a search result; a memory to store a search database of said search results and to provide instances of said search results to said controller; a hash-CAM sub-circuit (H-CAM) including: a hash unit to receive said search value from said controller and generate a hash output based there on; a CAM unit to store a CAM database of instances of said search values known to cause hash collisions in said hash unit, to receive said search value from said controller, and to match said search value against said CAM database such that a CAM output is provided if a match exists; and a logic unit to receive said hash output and said CAM output, to create an address value based on said CAM output if a said match exists and otherwise to create said address value based on said hash output, and to provide said address value to said memory, wherein said address value represents an address in said memory, thereby permitting detection and resolution of hash collisions when searching said search database of said search results in said memory.