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:
Dec. 30, 2003
Filed:
Dec. 11, 2001
Paul Gutwin, Williston, VT (US);
Jonathan B. Ashbrook, Huntington, VT (US);
Michael Bogaczyk, Milton, VT (US);
Albert M. Chu, Essex, VT (US);
Ezra Hall, Colchester, VT (US);
Daryl Seitzer, Huntington, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for simultaneously searching and refreshing a memory array of a dynamic content addressable memory (DCAM). According to the disclosed invention, the information stored in a row of DCAM cells being refreshed is transferred from the memory array into sense amplifiers, during a read phase of a refresh operation. A search for a matching entry can then be performed, with respect to the information that is transferred to the sense amplifiers. To determine if there is a match, search information is simultaneously compared to the information that has been transferred to the sense amplifiers and to the information that is stored in other rows of DCAM cells of said memory array. Finally, the refresh of that row is completed by restoring the information from the sense amplifiers to that row of DCAM cells.