Architecture for ternary content-addressable memory search

A method comprising:

• receiving an input search word comprising a first sequence of bits;
• receiving an indicator of one or more don't-care bits in the first sequence of bits, the one or more don't-care bits corresponding to a first portion of the input search word;
• setting a subset of a plurality of search lines of a ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) block to a logical high state, the subset of the plurality of search lines corresponding to the one or more don't-care bits;
• generating a search pattern based on the input search word;
• providing the search pattern to the plurality of search lines of the TCAM, the search pattern causing a string in the TCAM to be conductive and to provide a signal to a page buffer in response to the string storing matching data, the matching data comprising a second portion of the input search word that excludes the don't-care bits, the signal resulting from a precharged match line discharging through the string, the page buffer storing data in response to the signal;
• and
• outputting a location of the data entry within the TCAM block based on the data read by the page buffer.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a memory sub-system controller, configure the memory sub-system controller to perform operations comprising:

• receiving an input search word comprising a first sequence of bits;
• receiving an indicator of one or more don't-care bits in the first sequence of bits, the one or more don't-care bits corresponding to a first portion of the input search word;
• setting a subset of a plurality of search lines of a ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) block to a logical high state, the subset of the plurality of search lines corresponding to the one or more don't-care bits;
• generating a search pattern based on the input search word;
• providing the search pattern as input to the plurality of search lines of the TCAM, the search pattern causing a string to be conductive and to provide a signal to a page buffer in response to the string storing matching data, the matching data comprising a second portion of the input search word that excludes the don't-care bits, the signal resulting from a precharged match line discharging through the string, the page buffer storing data in response to the signal;
• and
• outputting a location of the data entry within the TCAM block based on the data read by the page buffer.