PARALLELIZED PROCESSING DEVICE FOR PROCESSING SEARCH KEYS BASED UPON TREE STUCTURE

A device for parallel processing of subtrees within a binary tree for searching for the tree leaf matching a search key. The search is performed at each node by applying a recursive function associated with each node and whose parameters depend on the node for determining which branch, left or right, is to be taken in accordance with the search key. The device includes subtree register blocks for storing the recursive functions, processors for processing the recursive functions, a control unit that assigns one processor to the processing of the recursive functions contained in a block that sent the request to the control unit, and means for selecting subtrees included in the sequence of branches between the root and the leaf defined in accordance with the search key in response to the processing of blocks.