Patent ID: 7848129

Claim:
A content addressable memory (CAM) device, comprising: a comparand register having inputs to receive a search key; a CAM array including a plurality of individually selectable sub-arrays, each sub-array including a number of rows of CAM cells and a control circuit, wherein each row of CAM cells is coupled to a match line, and wherein each control circuit has an input to receive a corresponding sub-array enable signal; and partition logic having an input to receive a partition select signal and configured to generate the sub-array enable signals in response to the partition select signal, wherein the control circuits selectively propagate the search key through the sub-arrays of the CAM array in response to the sub-array enable signals, and wherein for each sub-array, if its sub-array enable signal is asserted, its control circuit propagates the search key received from a previous sub-array to the rows of CAM cells in the sub-array for a compare operation.