Patent ID: 8099580

Claim:
A method, comprising: providing a content addressable memory (CAM) having a plurality of CAM rows, the plurality of CAM rows storing a plurality of CAM entries, wherein each CAM row of the plurality of CAM rows stores a corresponding one of the plurality of CAM entries; providing a data memory (DM) having a plurality of DM rows, the plurality of DM rows storing a plurality of DM entries, wherein each DM row of the plurality of DM rows stores a corresponding one of the plurality of DM entries; providing an address, the address comprising a tag portion and an index portion; decoding the index portion of the address to produce a decoded index; providing the decoded index to the CAM; providing the decoded index to the DM; in response to providing the decoded index to the CAM, selecting only one of the plurality of CAM rows as a selected CAM row; in response to providing the decoded index to the DM, selecting only one of the plurality of DM rows as a selected DM row; concurrently comparing the tag portion of the address to all of the plurality of CAM entries; in response to said step of concurrently comparing the tag portion of the address to all of the plurality of CAM entries, producing a corresponding match/non-match signal for each of the plurality of CAM entries; and asserting a hit/miss signal to indicate a hit only when a first one of the plurality of CAM rows is selected and the corresponding match/non-match signal for said first one of the plurality of CAM rows indicates a match.