Memory device including content addressable memory and method of inputting and outputting data thereof

Abstract

There is provided a memory device including a content addressable memory physical layer connected to external data pads. During the write operation, the content addressable memory physical layer transmits a selected data pattern from among data patterns stored in a content addressable memory cell array as input data to selected memory cells of a memory cell array corresponding to an address received from external device based on first data received from the external data pads. During the read operation, the content addressable memory physical layer compares output data read from the memory cell array with the data patterns based on an address received from external device, and outputs content addressable memory address corresponding to data pattern matched by a result of the comparing as second data through the external data pads.