System for parallel string search with a function-directed parallel

Abstract

A character string search arithmetic operation is performed at high speed with a small hardware scale processing module, such as a symbol string search module. The search module is connected to a CPU through address and data buses and includes a function definition section for defining a function of the apparatus in accordance with a command from the CPU, a data input/output section for receiving a symbol string to be searched through the data bus and for outputting the result of a search. A search processing section performs the search based on a function defined by the function definition section. A symbol string to be searched for, which is internally stored, is compared with the symbol string data input to the module's data input/output means. A condition holding section holds data indicative of an internal condition corresponding to the result of the search processing. Thereby, the CPU and the symbol string search module can perform the search at high speed.