Semiconductor device

A semiconductor device comprising

• a plurality of search blocks,
• wherein each of the search blocks includes
• an N number of sub-blocks each of which includes a memory cell array,
• a setting register which specifies number of entry data for pre-searching, of first to N-th entry data which are divided and correspond respectively to the N number of sub-blocks, and
• a search data changing unit which changes a data arrangement order of search data commonly input to the search blocks, based on a value of the setting register,
• wherein a sub-block for pre-searching, of the N number of sub-blocks, searches for entry data which matches with data for pre-searching in accordance with the data arrangement order changed by the search data changing unit, of entry data stored in association with each row of the memory cell array, in response to a search instruction, and outputs a search result representing matching or non-matching in association with each row, and
• wherein a sub-block for post-searching of the N number of sub-blocks searches for entry data which matches with data for post-searching other than the data for pre-searching of the search data, of entry data stored in association with each row of the memory cell array, based on the search result of the sub-block for pre-searching, and outputs a search result representing matching or non-matching in association with each row.

A semiconductor device comprising:

• first and second sub-blocks each of which includes associative memory cells arranged in matrix;
• a setting register which specifies a correspondence relation of the first and second sub-blocks in which first and second write data included in write data are stored;
• a data arrangement order changing unit which changes a data arrangement order of input search data, based on a value of the setting register, and outputs first and second search keys included in the search data respectively to the first and second sub-blocks, and
• wherein the first sub-block performs a search operation using one of the first and second search keys input to the first sub-block, and
• wherein the second sub-block performs a search operation using other one of the first and second search keys, based on a result of the search operation of the first sub-block.