ASSOCIATIVE

MEMORY

FYCS21 – MAHTO OMPRAKASH

F Y C S 2 2 – M I S H R A P R A N AV
HOW MEMORY WORKS TO SEARCH
DATA !
• When looking for specific information in memory, data is read
from one address, compared, and if a match cannot be found, the
content of the next address is accessed and compared.
• This continues until the necessary data is located. The number of
accesses depends on where the data is located and how well the
search algorithm works.
• If information is searched based on content rather than by an
address, this amount of time spent searching can be decreased.
ASSOCIATIVE MEMORY
• A memory unit accessed by content is called an associative memory or content
addressable memory ( CAM ).
• This type of memory is accessed simultaneously and in parallel on the basis of data
content rather than by specific address or location. When a word is written in
associative memory no address is given. The memory is capable of finding an empty
unused location to store the word.
• When a word is to be read from an associative memory, the content of the word, or part
of the word, is specified. The memory locates all words which match the specified
content and marks them for reading.
• Each cell of associative memory have the storage capability as well as logic circuits for
matching its content with an external argument.
 HARDWARE ORGANIZATION
Block diagram of associative memory
Associative Memory is organized in such a way.

• Argument register(A):
 It contains the word to be searched. It has n bits(one for
each bit of the word)

• Key Register(K):
 This specifies which part of the argument word needs
to be compared with words in memory. If all bits in
register are 1, The entire word should be compared.
Otherwise, only the bits having k- bit set to 1 will be
compared.
 HARDWARE ORGANIZATION
Block diagram of associative memory
• Associative memory array:
 It contains the words which are to be compared
with the argument word.

• Match Register(M):
 It has m bits, one bit corresponding to each word
in the memory array. After the matching process,
the bits corresponding to matching words in
match register are set to 1, if in the case they are
not matched, match register are set to 0.
NUMERICAL EXAMPLE
• To illustrate with a numerical
example, suppose that the argument
register A and the key register K
have the bit configuration as shown.
Only the three leftmost bits of A are
compared with memory words
because K has 1’s in these positions.
• Word 2 matches the unmasked
argument field because the three
leftmost bits of the argument and
the word are equal