Dual key controlled content addressable memory for accessing packet switch data buffer for multicasting data packets

A method of interfacing data with a data memory comprising the steps of:

• (a) storing said data in said data memory by:
• (a1) writing said data into a storage location of said data memory, and
• (a2) writing, into a plurality of respective storage regions of a content-addressable memory, respective address pointer words, each of which includes a respective key field that is used to identify said data, and an address field that identifies the address of said storage location of said data memory;
• (b) reading said data from said data memory by:
• (b1) coupling a key to key fields of address pointer words stored in storage regions of said content-addressable memory, and accessing said address of said storage location of said data memory from the address field of an address pointer word whose key field contains said key;
• (b2) reading said data from said storage location of said data memory in accordance with said address accessed in step (b1);
• and
• (c) coupling said address accessed in step (b1) to said content-addressable memory, to determine whether said address of said storage location of said data memory is contained in another address pointer word stored in said content-addressable memory.