Tests for word-oriented content addressable memories

A new efficient test approach of functional faults in word-oriented content addressable memories (CAM) is presented. New functional fault models of CAM, based on physical defects are given, taken from traditional functional fault models for SRAM. All functional faults of CAM are classified into OR faults (ORFs) and AND faults (ANDFs). To test intra-word and inter-word faults, different data background sequences for word-oriented CAM are proposed. A whole test strategy, include three steps, is presented to test word-oriented dual-port CAMs thoroughly.