XY ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) cell and array

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8929115-B2
Application number	US-201113307167-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2011
Priority date	Nov 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 6, 2015
Grant date	Jan 6, 2015

Abstract

A ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) is formed by TCAM cells that are arranged in an array. Each TCAM cell includes a first and second SRAM cells and a comparator. The SRAM cells predominantly in use have a horizontal topology with a rectangular perimeter defined by longer and shorter side edges. The match lines for the TCAM extend across the array, and are coupled to TCAM cells along an array column. The bit lines extend across the array, and coupled to TCAM cells along an array row. Each match line is oriented in a first direction (the column direction) that is parallel to the shorter side edge of the horizontal topology layout for the SRAM cells in each CAM cell. Each bit line is oriented in a second direction (the row direction) that is parallel to the longer side edge of the horizontal topology layout for the SRAM cells in each CAM cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A content addressable memory (CAM), comprising:
a plurality of CAM cells arranged in an array including columns and rows; each CAM cell comprising a first SRAM cell, a second SRAM cell and a comparator circuit, the first and second SRAM cells having a horizontal topology layout with a longer side edge and a shorter side edge;
a plurality of match lines, each match line extending across the array and coupled to plural CAM cells, each match line oriented in…

Assignees

• Kohli Nishu
• St Microelectronics Int Nv

Inventors

• Kohli Nishu

Classifications

• H10D99/00

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H10D89/10

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G11C15/00

  Physics · mapped topic

• G11C15/04 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G11C11/412

  Physics · mapped topic