Time division multiplexing (TDM) based optical ternary content addressable memory (TCAM)
AssigneeHewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP
InventorsThomas Van Vaerenbergh, Can Li, Catherine Graves
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for an optical ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) are provided. The optical TCAM implements a time-division multiplexing (TDM) based encoding scheme to encode each bit position of a search word in the time domain. Each bit position is associated with at least two time slots. The encoded optical signal comprising the search word is routed through one or more modulators configured to represent a respective TCAM stored word. If a mismatch between at least one bit position of the search word and at least one TCAM stored word occurs, a photodetector or photodetector array will detect light.
Claims10
An optical ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) comprising:
- an input encoder configured to encode a search word on an optical search signal, wherein each bit position of the search word is represented by at least two time slots of a clock signal;
- a programming controller communicatively coupled to a modulator configured to represent a TCAM stored word;
- an input routing element configured to optically couple the optical search signal to the modulator;
- and
- an output routing element comprising a first end coupled to the modulator and a second end coupled to a photodetector, the output routing element configured to optically couple a result optical signal from the modulator to the photodetector,
- wherein the programming controller is configured to generate an electrical drive signal to control a state of the modulator during each time slot of the clock signal, wherein each bit position of the TCAM stored word is represented by at least two time slots of the clock signal, and wherein the photodetector is configured to detect a mismatch between the optical search signal and the TCAM stored word by detecting light during at least one time slot of the clock signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.