Data storage and matching employing words wider than width of content addressable memory

A search engine, comprising:

• a content addressable memory having a word width;
• a register for the reception of an input word wider than said word width;
• a first multiplexer operative to apply in a first search cycle to a first memory segment of said content addressable memory a first data segment from said register and operative to apply in a second search cycle to said first memory segment of said content addressable memory a second data segment from said register;
• a second multiplexer operative to apply in a first search cycle to a second memory segment of said content addressable memory a predetermined prefix and operative to apply in a second search cycle to said second memory segment of said content addressable memory an address output from said content addressable memory;
• wherein, in the event of correspondence between said first data segment of said input word prefixed by said predetermined prefix and the content of a matching entry in said content addressable memory, said output address word identifies said matching entry.

A method of storing a selected word in a content addressable memory which has a given word width, said selected word having a width greater than said word width, comprising:

• (a) partitioning said selected word into at least a first data segment and a second data segment, each of the segments being lesser in width than said word width;
• (b) making a first entry in said content addressable memory said first entry comprising a predetermined prefix and said first data segment, said first entry having an first address;
• and
• (c) making a second entry in said content addressable memory, said second entry comprising a second prefix, corresponding to said first address, and said data second segment.

A method of operating a content addressable memory having a given word width, the method comprising:

• (a) partitioning a selected word into at least a first data segment and a second data segment, each of the data segments being lesser in width than said word width;
• (b) making a first entry in said content addressable memory, said first entry comprising a predetermined prefix and said first data segment, said first entry having an first address;
• (c) making a second entry in said content addressable memory, said second entry comprising a second prefix, corresponding to said first address, and said second data segment. (d) receiving a search key word;
• (e) applying to said content addressable memory in a first search cycle a first segment of said search key word prefixed by said predetermined prefix;
• and
• in the event of correspondence between said first segment of said input word prefixed by a predetermined prefix and the content of said first entry in said content addressable memory:
• (f) applying to said content addressable memory in a second search cycle a second segment of said search key word prefixed by a second prefix comprising an address word identifying said matching entry.