System and method for low power searching in content addressable memories using sampling search words to save power in compare lines

• Main Authors: PODAIMA JASON EDWARD, AVRAMESCU RADU
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 08.05.2012
• Subjects: CALCULATING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES [ICT], I.E. INFORMATION ANDCOMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AIMING AT THE REDUCTION OF THIR OWNENERGY USE; COMPUTING; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INFORMATION STORAGE; PHYSICS; STATIC STORES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

An invention is provided for low Low power searching in a CAM using uses sample words to save power in the compare lines. The invention A method includes comparing a sample section of stored data to a corresponding sample section of search data on a plurality of rows in the CAM. If a sample section of the stored data on any row of the plurality of rows is equivalent to the corresponding sample section of the search data, a remaining section of search data is allowed to propagate to the local compare lines coupled to the remaining section of the stored data of each row. However, if the sample section of the stored data is different from the corresponding sample section of the search data, the local compare lines coupled to the remaining section of the stored data on each row are latched.