Data comparison method, memory device and memory controller

An In-Memory Search (IMS) device, comprising:

• a plurality of IMS memory blocks for storing multiple reference data;
• an accumulator coupled to the IMS memory blocks;
• a selection bit vector generation unit, used to generate a selection bit vector, where the selection bit vector is used to select a plurality of target IMS memory blocks from the IMS memory blocks, and the target IMS memory blocks compare the reference data with a plurality of input data to generate a plurality of IMS comparison results, the accumulator accumulating the IMS comparison results from the target IMS memory blocks;
• and
• a checking unit used to compare the selection bit vector with the IMS comparison results to generate a comparison result, the comparison result used to identify a mismatching input data from the input data, wherein the mismatching input data does not match the reference data.

A memory controller comprising:

• a control unit coupled to and controlling a plurality of storage units and a plurality of IMS (in-memory search) units;
• a pre-seeding filter coupled to the control unit;
• and
• a group test decoder coupled to the IMS units,
• wherein
• the pre-seeding filter performs a pre-seeding operation on a plurality of input data stored in the storage units to pre-screen a plurality of candidate matching input data and a plurality of first mismatching input data;
• the IMS units perform a group test on the candidate matching input data to compare the candidate matching input data with a plurality of reference data stored in the plurality of IMS units to generate a matching result, thereby distinguishing a plurality of matching input data and a second mismatching input data from the candidate matching input data, wherein the matching result indicates information about the matching input data which matches the reference data, while the second mismatching input data does not match the reference data;
• and
• the IMS units send a plurality of group test results to the group test decoder to generate a group test decoding result which is used to distinguish or indicate the second mismatching input data.