Priority encoder applicable to large capacity content addressable memory

Abstract

A priority encoder is provided with priority circuitry for sequentially producing priority-ordered output signals and encoding circuitry for encoding the output signal. Small input, small unit priority circuits are used to form the priority circuitry into a hierarchical structure. An OR output of a small unit priority circuit in a lower hierarchy is used as an input signal of another small unit priority circuit in a higher hierarchy. An output signal of the priority circuit in the higher hierarchy has an address which corresponds to the address of the one input signal and is made an enable signal of the priority circuit in the lower hierarchy. The priority encoder, though simple in structure and formed with a small number of elements, operates at a high speed. Moreover, an encoder with a prefetch circuit is built into the priority encoder provided for a CAM block. While a 'hit' signal in a first priority subblock is being encoded, a hit signal in a second priority subblock can be stored in the prefetch circuit. Therefore, the encoding operation is performed without subblock-to-subblock switch time, making the encoder best suitable for a large capacity, high speed CAM.