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. 16, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 29, 2006
Santhosh Narayanaswamy, Karnataka, IN;
Bryan D Sheffield, McKinney, TX (US);
Robert J. Landers, Allen, TX (US);
Santhosh Narayanaswamy, Karnataka, IN;
Bryan D Sheffield, McKinney, TX (US);
Robert J. Landers, Allen, TX (US);
Texas Instruments Incorporated, Dallas, TX (US);
Abstract
A technique that provides width expansion of two CAMs of varying widths by combining match results from two CAMs by integrating the two CAMs. In one embodiment, a synchronizer circuit triggers the operation of an External Priority Encoder module which can be used to cascade two CAMs to form a wider CAM. When the External Priority Encoder module is used with the CAM, the External Priority Encoder module will receive MATCH signals and control signals from individual CAMs residing on either side, and will be triggered by the last arriving signal between two ports associated with two CAMs. In case one of the ports is disabled the External Priority Encoder module relies totally on the control signal from the other port for operation. The synchronizer circuit has the ability to handle mismatches between the CAMs as well as differentiating valid and invalid combinations between the CAMs.