The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 06, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 19, 1999
Lloyd Watts, Mountain View, CA (US);
Interval Research Corporation, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
A memory cell having a memory cell state is disclosed. The memory cell state includes a memory unit configured to store a bit of data wherein the bit of data determines whether the memory cell state is a first state or a second state and a common state indicator line configured to indicate a common state associated with a group of memory cells. The memory cell state further comprises a logic circuit configured to compare the memory cell state to the common state and an output line is configured to indicate the result of the comparison. A method of identifying one or more minimum value elements in a set of elements is also disclosed. The method includes storing the values in a memory cell array having a plurality of sets of memory cells, each value being stored in a set of memory cells. The stored values are compared to a set of common state indicator lines configured to indicate the minimum value stored in the memory cell array. The method further includes noting which sets of memory cells store the minimum value.