Memory system for ANDing data bits along columns of an inverted memory array

Claim 1

A memory system for reading and writing data through data lines, said memory system comprising: memory array means including a plurality of memories arranged two-dimensionally in a row and column array; first memory interface means comprising a row data buffer for data along rows of said memory array means and serving as a row input/output interface to said memory array means; second memory interface means comprising a column data buffer for data along columns of said memory array means and serving as a column input/output interface to said memory array means and being able to operate independent of said row data buffer; data buffer select means for selecting one of said two data buffers; direction control means for operating one of said two data buffers as an input interface or output interface in accordance with a reading or writing operation, respectively, on the memory contents of said memory system; signal invert means for inverting output signals from said memory array means to form an inverted memory array containing inverted signals; and, AND means provided for ANDing all bits along respective columns of the inverted memory array to obtain an ANDed bit value for each respective column of the inverted memory array.