CS 25000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: In Essence, Indirection, Byte Addressing

• School: Purdue University
• Department: Computer Sciences
• Course: CS 25000
• Professor: Adams George

Document Summary

11. 2 characteristics of computer memory: engineers use the term random access memory (ram) to denote the type of memory used as the primary memory system in most computers. Optimized for random access, offers read-write capability that makes access and update equally inexpensive, and is volatile. 11. 3 static and dynamic ram technologies: the technologies used to implement ram can be divided into two broad categories, static ram, a straightforward extension of digital logic, stores each data bit in a latch. Later when the value is read, the hardware examines the charge of the capacitor and generates the appropriate digital value. In practice, the dram contains an extra hardware circuit, known as a refresh circuit, that performs the task of reading and then writing a bit: complexity arises because a refresh circuit must coordinate with normal memory operations: Chapter 11: the refresh circuit must not interfere or delay normal memory operations.