Samsung patents memory chip that searches data by content, not address
Samsung describes a memory device that combines standard memory cells with a special search unit called content addressable memory. When writing data, the chip looks up a specific pattern to store, and when reading, it compares the stored data against those patterns to find a match.
In the filing’s own words
There is provided a memory device including a content addressable memory physical layer connected to external data pads. During the write operation, the content addressable memory physical layer transmits a selected data pattern from among data patterns stored in a content addressable memory cell array as input data to selected memory cells of a memory cell array corresponding to an address received from external device based on first data received from the external data pads. During the read operation, the content addressable memory physical layer compares output data read from the memory cell array with the data patterns based on an address received from external device, and outputs content addressable memory address corresponding to data pattern matched by a result of the comparing as second data through the external data pads.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A memory device comprising: a memory cell array comprising memory cells; an address decoder configured to output address information based on a memory address of the memory cell array received from an external device; a command decoder configured to generate a memory access signal based on a command received from the external device; a content addressable memory (CAM) cell array configured to store a plurality of data patterns and a plurality of CAM addresses corresponding to the plurality of data patterns, respectively; and a CAM physical layer connected to a plurality of external data pads, the CAM physical layer configured to: based on the memory access signal being a write operation signal, receive first data through the plurality of external data pads, the first data comprising a first CAM address, select a first data pattern from among the plurality of data patterns based on the first CAM address, and transmit the selected first data pattern as input data to first memory cells of the memory cell array corresponding to the address information, and based on the memory access signal being a read operation signal, compare output data from the memory cell array with the plurality of data patterns based on the address information, and output a second CAM address corresponding to a second data pattern matching the output data as second data through the plurality of external data pads.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- Memory device including content addressable memory and method of inputting and outputting data thereof
- Patent number
- US12724532B2
- Application number
- 18597373
- Filed
- Mar 6, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 5
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 3/0608 Physics & computingG06F 3/0659 Physics & computingG06F 3/0673 Physics & computingMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.