Method for min-max computation in associative memory

1. A method for finding an extreme value among a plurality of numbers in an associative memory, the method comprising:

creating a spread-out representation (SOR) for each number of said plurality of numbers;

storing each SOR in a column of said associative memory array; and

performing a horizontal bit-wise Boolean operation on rows of said associative memory array to produce an extreme SOR (ESOR) having said extreme value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said SOR of a number N comprises a continuous sequence of zeros followed by a continuous sequence of K ones, wherein K=N+1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a SOR of a number having a value N comprises a continuous sequence of ones followed by a continuous sequence of K zeros, wherein K=N+1.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said Boolean operation is one of: an OR operation and an AND operation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said number is a bit aggregation of a larger multi-bit-number.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a first bit aggregation comprises most significant bits of said multi-bit number and a last bit aggregation comprises least significant bits of said multi-bit number.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said multi-bit number represents an item from among a plurality of items.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein each of said items is assigned an initial candidacy indication.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said creating a SOR is only for items having a candidacy indication.

10. The method of claim 9 also comprising:

comparing said ESOR with each SOR of an item having a candidacy indication to provide a similarity indication which is one of: equal and unequal; and

removing said candidacy indication from each number having an unequal similarity indication.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein each said larger multi-bit number has a multiplicity of bit aggregations and also comprising:

repeating said creating, storing, performing, comparing and removing for each said bit aggregation of said multi-bit number until a last group aggregation, thereby to provide candidacy indications to said extreme numbers only.

12. A system for finding an extreme value amongst a plurality of numbers, the system comprising:

an associative memory array storing said plurality of numbers, each number stored in a column;

a spread-out representation (SOR) creator to create a SOR for each number of said plurality of numbers and to store each said SOR in a column of said associative memory array; and

an extreme SOR (ESOR) finder to find an extreme value using a horizontal bit-wise Boolean operation on rows of said associative memory array storing bits of said SORs.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said SOR of a number having the value N comprises one of: a continuous sequence of zeros followed by a continuous sequence of K ones, and a continuous sequence of ones followed by a continuous sequence of K zeros, wherein K=N+1.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said Boolean operation is one of: an OR operation and an AND operation.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said number is a bit aggregation of a larger multi-bit-number.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein a first bit aggregation comprises most significant bits of said multi-bit number and a last bit aggregation comprises least significant bits of said multi-bit number.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein said multi-bit number represents an item from among a plurality of items.

18. The system of claim 17 also comprising:

a row of said memory array to store an initial candidacy indication for each item stored in a same column as each of said SORs; and

an extreme finder to compare said ESOR with each SOR and to remove said candidacy indication from each SOR having a different value from said ESOR.