Contents addressable memory circuit for retrieval operation in units of data blocks

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A contents addressable memory circuit, includes an inputting section a contents, addressable memory section and a control section. The inputting section divides an input data into n (n is an integer equal to or larger than 2) data blocks and supplies the n data blocks and an input address. The contents addressable memory section performs a data retrieving operation in units of data blocks to output addresses and coincidence flags corresponding to the data blocks. The coincidence flag is indicative of whether there is a data coincident with the corresponding data block. The control section outputs one of the outputted addresses based on the outputted addresses and the coincidence flags.