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Abstract

A content addressable memory (CAM) includes a memory region containing a plurality of word memories, an address storage section for storing address data specifying a partial region of the memory region, and overwriting means for overwriting the contents of word memories in a region in the memory region excluding the partial region. The overwriting means performs retrieval to the memory region by using predetermined data as retrieval data in response to a predetermined command, and performs overwriting for the contents of word memories that contain storage data corresponding to the predetermined data used for the retrieval and that exist in a region in the memory region excluding the partial region. Data which should not be erased is stored in the partial region of the memory region, and erase-target data is stored in the memory region excluding the partial region. Thereby, the necessity for increasing the memory capacity can be avoided to secure empty addresses in the memory region, and furthermore, control can be simplified.

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