Content addressable memory (CAM) and method of downloading and banking filters

摘要

A Content Addressable Memory (CAM) that downloads and banks a group of filters. Each filter has an associated filter-index, which is mapped in a mapping table to an available CAM address for storing the associated filter. Each succeeding filter in the group of filters is stored in a higher address in the CAM. The plurality of CAM addresses may not all be contiguous, in which case the mapping table maps each succeeding filter-index to the next higher available CAM address without regard to contiguity of the addresses.