Associative memory having separately associable zones

In an associative memory of the type wherein there are separately associable zones, a linearly addressable main memory for input and read out of data consisting of an associative component and a non-associative component, a comparator for comparing the read-out association words with the search word, a device including address converters for deriving addresses from at least the higher-value bits of association and search words, and an extension counter connected to the address converters whose count influences the derivation of the addresses and whose count is increased by one in response to an initially addressed storage position being occupied, the improvement therein comprising:

• a reservation unit connected in front of said device which includes said address converters, said reservation unit including a shift network for receiving zone delimiting control information and a selected part of the lower-value bits of a zone address and a fragment which is a selected part of the higher-value bits of a primary bit group having a width 1 and derived from the association and search words, and responsive thereto to derive and provide said device including address converters with a secondary bit group having a width 1 of a complete address in order for the address converters to provide, in conjunction with said extension counter, a memory address.