MEMORY

Basic Organization of a
Microcomputer
CPU
CU
INPUT

OUTPUT

REGISTER
FILE

ALU

MEMORY

Memory
Part of the
computer
system where
programs and
data are stored

Memory
Central Processing Unit

Main Memory

Bus
Current Instruction Being
Executed

Other
Program
Instructions

Memory
Bit
basic unit of the memory
A binary digit that can either be 0 or 1

http://isis.astrogeology.usgs.gov/IsisWorkshop/uploads/0/0d/Bit-byte-word.jpg

Memory
Composed of a number of cells which
can hold an information
A memory with m cells can hold at
most m information
A memory with m cells has addresses
from 0 to m-1

Memory
The addresses of an
8-bit memory is from
0 to 28-1 and can
hold 28 values

Memory Address

00000000
00000001
00000010
00000011
00000100
00000101
.
.
.
11111000
11111010
11111011
11111100
11111101
11111110
11111111

Values

CPU and Memory

Data transfer between CPU and
Memory takes place through the use
of MAR and MDR

http://www.teach-ict.com/as_as_computing/ocr/H447/F453/3_3_3/vonn_neuman/miniweb/pg4.htm

CPU and Memory

CPU

MDR

Values

Data bus
n bits of data

n bits long

MAR
k bits long

Address bus

Memory
Address

0
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
2k-1

Random Access Memory (RAM)

http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00mvsTKMPFlBua/DDR-RAM-DDR2-DDR3-.jpg

RAM
Any location can be accessed for a
read or write operation in some fixed
amount of time that is independent of
its position or address
Every location is directly accessible
Static RAM and Dynamic RAM

Static RAM (SRAM)

Once the information is written, it does
not need to be further addressed or
manipulated for the information to
stay in the place it is stored
Composed of flip-flops that use a small
current to maintain the logic level

Static RAM (SRAM)

Used by CPU registers and other highspeed storage devices
Some computers use SRAM for caches
and main memory
Fastest and most expensive of the
semiconductor memory circuits

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Stores one bit of
data in a capacitor
so that more bits
can be packed
within an integrated
circuit
Used in PC RAMs
and Video RAMs

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

To store a 1, the
capacitor is filled
with electrons
To store a 0, the
capacitor is
emptied

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Because of leaks,
capacitors become
empty in a matter
of milliseconds
To fix this problem,
the capacitors with
value 1 are
recharged

http://www.syntechsa.co.za/ram-memory-how-it-works/

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

Recharging is done
by the CPU or
memory controller
This is done
thousands of times
per second

http://www.syntechsa.co.za/ram-memory-how-it-works/

Video RAM
Dedicated for video display
Used to display and manipulate
graphic images

Read-Only Memory
Contents stored in this memory are
permanently fixed and remain valid
even without power.

Read-Only Memory
True ROM
Data are inserted during manufacture

Programmable ROM (PROM)

Data can be written under computer
control, but only once

Erasable PROM (EPROM)

Data can be rewritten

Memory Cache
Technique used access memory faster
Set of fast memory registers that hold
the locations that mare most likely to
be accessed in the main memory
95% of memory accesses are found in
memory cache

Memory Cache
The cache is checked first when CPU
requests for data
The memory will be accessed only
when the data is not buffered in the
cache

Magnetic Disks
Most popular high capacity secondary
storage
Uses magnetic spots on a magnetized
disk
Presence of a spot: 1
Absence of a spot: 0

Magnetic Disks
Disk surface is divided into a number of
concentric circles called tracks
Tracks are further divided into sectors
Example: Floppy disk, hard disk

http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/Images/Research-and-teaching/Engineering-and-PhysicalSciences/Metallurgy-and-Materials/Magnets/recording2.gif

Optical Memory
Uses laser technology to create tiny
microscopic spots on the disk surface
Laser is also used to read from the disk
No reflection: 1
0 otherwise

WORM
Write Once and Read Many
Data are recorded on the disk vendor
and cannot be altered or erased.
CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only
Memory)
CD-R (CD Recordable)
CD-RW (Compact Disk Rewritable)
DVD-ROM (Digital Video Disk Read Only
Memory)

Magnetic Tape
First kind of
secondary
memory

Magnetic Drum
Variation of magnetic disks.
Information are written magnetically

Flash Memory
Operates on fully electronic fashion but its
content is not erased when power is gone
A type of erasable programmable read only
memory (EPROM)
Usually inserted in the Universal Serial Bus
(USB) port of the computer.