Dynamic CAM Table Dimensions for Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content addressable memory (CAM) devices require larger sizes, higher costs, power consumption, and heat generation due to the need for fixed widths and depths to accommodate various data types and applications, limiting their utilization and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device with a CAM that allows for dynamic modification of logical table dimensions and locations, using a lookup engine to generate search parameters that enable searching of specific data tables within the CAM, disregarding non-relevant data, thereby optimizing resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If CAM devices use fixed widths and depths to accommodate various data types and applications, then they can support multiple applications, but the device size, cost, power consumption, and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of CAM dimensions by allowing the depth and width of logical tables to be modified at runtime through configuration registers. This enables the CAM to adapt its size to match the actual data requirements of different applications, rather than maintaining a fixed large size to accommodate all possible use cases simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the CAM device by introducing configurable depth and width values that can be programmatically adjusted. Through control registers and configuration interfaces, the system can modify the operational parameters of the CAM to optimize for specific data types and application requirements, reducing resource usage when full capacity is not needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If CAM devices use fixed widths and depths to accommodate various data types and applications, then they can support multiple applications, but the device size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of CAM dimensions by allowing the depth and width of logical tables to be modified at runtime through configuration registers. This enables the CAM to adapt its size to match the actual data requirements of different applications, rather than maintaining a fixed large size to accommodate all possible use cases simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters of the CAM device by introducing configurable depth and width values that can be programmatically adjusted. Through control registers and configuration interfaces, the system can modify the operational parameters of the CAM to optimize for specific data types and application requirements, reducing resource usage when full capacity is not needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If CAM devices use fixed widths and depths to accommodate various data types and applications, then they can support multiple applications, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes a single CAM device universal by adding configuration mechanisms that allow it to serve multiple applications with different data requirements. By incorporating depth and width configuration registers along with table identification logic, the same physical hardware can be programmed to function as different sized CAMs for various protocols and data types, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated CAM devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of CAM dimensions by allowing the depth and width of logical tables to be modified at runtime through configuration registers. This enables the CAM to adapt its size to match the actual data requirements of different applications, rather than maintaining a fixed large size to accommodate all possible use cases simultaneously.
4Device complexity
If CAM devices use fixed widths and depths, then structure is simple, but utilization efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the CAM device by introducing configurable depth and width values that can be programmatically adjusted. Through control registers and configuration interfaces, the system can modify the operational parameters of the CAM to optimize for specific data types and application requirements, reducing resource usage when full capacity is not needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic reconfiguration of CAM dimensions by allowing the depth and width of logical tables to be modified at runtime through configuration registers. This enables the CAM to adapt its size to match the actual data requirements of different applications, rather than maintaining a fixed large size to accommodate all possible use cases simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples disclosed herein relate, in one aspect, to an electronic device including a processor, a lookup engine, and a content addressable memory (CAM) including a plurality of data tables. The lookup engine may obtain from the processor a search word and a table identifier identifying a selected data table from the plurality of data tables, and using a lookup table, determine table parameters associated with the selected data table. The lookup engine may also generate search parameters based on the search word and the table parameters and provide the search parameters to the CAM. The search parameters may cause the CAM to determine whether the selected data table comprises a word corresponding to the search word, and if the selected data table comprises the word, to output an entry address of an entry of the CAM that comprises the word.