Associative Memory | Application of Associative Memory

 

What is Associative Memory?

When data is accessed by data content rather than data address, then the memory is referred to as associative memory or content addressable memory (CAM).

How Associative memory works?

Data is stored at the very first empty location found in memory. In associative memory when data is stored at a particular location then no address is stored along with it. When the stored data need to be searched then only the key (i.e., data or part of data) is provided. A sequential search is performed in the memory using the specified key to find out the matching key from the memory.

Block Diagram of Associative Memory

Argument Register (A): It contains the word to be searched.

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. Else only the bits having 1 will be compared.

Associative memory array: It contains the words which are to be compared with the argument word.

Match Register(M): After the matching process, the bits corresponding to matching words in match register are set to 1.

Associative Memory Page Table

Figure: Associative Memory Page Table

Memory Table in Paged System

Figure: Memory Table in Paged System

Advantage

Searching Process is very fast

Suitable for parallel search

Disadvantage

More costly than main memory

Click here to watch video of Associative Memory

Watch more videos click here.