Data selecting memory device and selected data transfer device

A method of reading data from a data group in which classification labels are arranged in a hierarchical structure, and data items are associated with said classification labels placed at the bottom of said hierarchical structure, said method comprising the steps of:

• performing a match selection on said classification labels based on a selection key string corresponding to a key string;
• performing a setting operation for setting mark bits on the classification labels one level lower than the classification labels matching a key of said selection key string;
• performing said match selection and said setting operation repeatedly based on each key of said selection key string, thereby ultimately setting said mark bits only on data items corresponding to the targeted classification labels;
• and
• reading only said data items on which said mark bits are set.

A method of reading, from a data group having a variety of data sequence patterns, data items placed at the bottom of a sequence of data items, the order of said sequence being the same as that of selection key string data items, which is a sequence of key data items, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) searching across said data group based on a key data item of said selection key string data items;
• (b) setting mark bits on data items immediately after the data items matched in the step (a);
• (c) searching across said data group based on a key data item placed immediately before said key data used in the step (a);
• (d) resetting the mark bits set to data items placed immediately after the data items matched the step (c);
• (e) repeating the steps (a) to (d), thereby setting mark bits only on target data items placed at the bottom of a sequence of data items arranged in the same order as that of said search key string data items.

A method of reading, from a data group having a variety of data sequence patterns, data items placed at the bottom of a sequence of data items, the order of said sequence being the same as that of selection key string data items, which is a sequence of key data items, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) searching across said data group based on a first key data item of said search key string data items;
• (b) setting mark bits on data items immediately after the data items matched in the step (a);
• (c) searching across said data group based on a marked second key data item, said marked second key data item being a key data item obtained by setting a mark bit to said second key data item of said search key string data items;
• (d) setting mark bits to data items immediately after the data items matched in the step (c);
• (e) searching across said data group again based on a marked first key data item, said marked first key data item being a key data item obtained by setting a mark bit to said first key data item of said search key data items;
• (f) resetting the mark bits set to the data items matched in the step (e);
• (g) searching across said data group based on said first key data item;
• (h) resetting the mark bits set to data items immediately after the data items matched in the step (g);
• (i) performing a first repetition step for searching across said data group based on a marked n-th key data item, said marked n-th key data item being a key data item obtained by setting a mark bit to said n-th data item of said search key string data items, and for setting mark bits on data items immediately after the data items matched in the preceding searching step;
• (j) performing a second repetition step for searching across said data group based on (n−1)-th key data item (n being an integer greater than 3), and resetting the mark bits set to data items immediately after the data items matched in preceding searching step;
• and
• (k) repeating the steps (i) and (j) for remaining key data items of said search key string data items, thereby setting mark bits only on said target data items so as to read only said target data items.

A method of sequentially reading a sequence of data items in a data group composed of a header, 1 to n data items, and an end data item, said method comprising the steps of:

• reading a first data item by performing a search based on the header as a key;
• setting a mark bit on said first data item;
• reading a second data item by performing a search based on the first data item with the mark bit as a key;
• setting a mark bit on said second data item;
• reading a third data item by performing a search based on the second data item with the mark bit as a key;
• and
• repeating the above steps for remaining data items until said end data item is read.

A method of reading data from a data group for the purpose of analyzing a data structure, said method comprising the steps of:

• performing a search across said data group based on a key;
• setting mark bits on a matched data item and a data item subsequent to said data item in said data group;
• and
• reading a data item immediately before said matched data item, thereby reading an arrangement of the data item preceding to said matched data item, said matched data item, and the data item subsequent to said matched data item.

A method of reading data from a data group composed of a plurality of data items each including a header portion of a plurality of bits indicating a property of each data item so as to classify said data items, and a data portion of a plurality of bits having data, said method comprising the steps of:

• searching through said header portions of said data items by using a key data item of a plurality of bits, a part of said plurality of bits being fixed data bits, and the rest part of said plurality of bits being don't care bits;
• setting mark bits on data of data portions immediately after the header portions matched in the preceding searching step, and also on data immediately after said data;
• and
• reading said data with the mark bits, thereby selectively reading only data having desired properties.

A memory device comprising:

• a memory cell array including memory cells arranged in rows and columns, a plurality of groups of said memory cells each having a predetermined number of said memory cells form string data units, said memory cells in a common data unit being programmed and read simultaneously, and each string data unit having string data items of a plurality of bits;
• a detecting circuit for performing a comparison between a key string data item supplied from outside and said string data items in said string data units, said comparison being performed by detecting a matched status, an unmatched status, or a don't care status bit by bit;
• a mark setting circuit for setting mark bits on specific bits of said string data units based on the result of the detection performed by said detecting circuit;
• and
• a data reading circuit for sequentially reading data items of said string data units, on which the mark bits are set.

A data receiver comprising:

• a string data array composed of a data receiving circuit for receiving data transmitted through a packet transmission, and a plurality of column blocks for storing said data;
• a string data register for holding key string data for performing data decoding;
• a control circuit for simultaneously searching all the data in the column blocks of said string data array based on a key string of said string data register;
• a detected data transmitting circuit, placed adjacent to said string data array, for sequentially transmitting the detected data to a data bus;
• and
• a register file for storing the data transmitted by said detected data transmitting circuit, and holding the data in a decoded status.