Chapter 5Internal Memory

Semiconductor Memory Types

Semiconductor Memory

16Mbit DRAM

Static RAM (SRAM)

• Desired for main memory• Used in cache• Basically an array of flip-flops• Simple to interface and control

• Fast• Relatively low density - complex• Relatively expensive

Static RAM model

Dynamic RAM (DRAM)

• Used in main memory

• Bits stored as charge in capacitors Essentially analog device Charges leak• Need refreshing even when powered Need refresh circuits

• Higher density (more bits per chip)• Slower than Static RAM• Less expensive

Dynamic RAM model

Read Only Memory (ROM)

• Permanent storage—Nonvolatile

• Microprogramming (see later)• Library subroutines• Systems programs (BIOS)• Function tables

Types of ROM

• ROM: Written during manufacture— Very expensive for small runs

• PROM: Programmable (once)—Needs special equipment to program

• Read “mostly”—EPROM: Erasable Programmable

– Erased by UV

—EEPROM: Electrically Erasable– Takes much longer to write than read

—Flash memory– Erase whole memory (block) electrically

EPROM

Memory Organization

• A 16Mbit chip can be organised as 1M of 16 bit words

• A bit per chip system has 16 lots of 1Mbit chip with bit 1 of each word in chip 1 and so on

• A 16Mbit chip can be organised as a 2048 x 2048 x 4bit array—Reduces number of address pins

– Multiplex row address and column address– 11 pins to address (211=2048)– Adding one more pin doubles range of values so x4

capacity

Typical 16 Mb DRAM (4M x 4)

Semiconductor Memory

16Mbit DRAM

Refreshing

• Refresh circuit is included on the chip

• Count through rows• Read & Write back

• Chip must be disabled during refresh• Takes time• Slows down apparent performance

256kByte Module Organisation

1MByte Module Organisation

Error Detection/Correction

Errors:• Hard Failure

—Permanent defect

• Soft Error—Random, non-destructive—No permanent damage to memory

• Coding (example Hamming code) can be used for

- Error detection - Error correcting

Error Correcting Code Function

Hamming Code

Visualizing:

Word: With even parity:

With Error: Identifying error:

Hamming Code

To store an M bit word with detection/correction takes M+K bit words

If K =1, we can detect single bit errors but not correct them

If 2K - 1 >= M + K , we can detect and correct single bit errors, i.e. detect an error and identify which bit it is.

Example: for M = 8: for K = 3: 23 – 1 < 8 + 3 for K = 4: 24 – 1 > 8 + 4 Therefore, choose K =4

Increased word length for error correcting

Layout of Data and Check Bits

Bit position 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Bit number 1100 1011 1010 1001 1000 0111 0110 0101 0100 0011 0010 0001

Data bit D8 D7 D6 D5 D4 D3 D2 D1

Check bit C8 C4 C2 C1

C1 is a parity check on every data bit whose position is xxx1

C2 is a parity check on every data bit whose position is xx1x

C4 is a parity check on every data bit whose position is x1xx

C8 is a parity check on every data bit whose position is 1xxx

Why? Because we want the syndrome, the Hamming test word, to yield the address of the error.

Improvements in memory

RAM – continually gets denser.

DRAM – Several improvements: SDRAM – synchronous DRAM DDR-SDRAM - doubles transfer speed RDRAM – asynchronous one transfer per clock cycle

Comparison of improved DRAM

Conventional DRAM – 40 to 100 MB/S transfer rate?

Synchronous DRAM (SDRAM)

• Access is synchronized with an external clock• Address is presented to RAM• RAM finds data (CPU waits in conventional DRAM)• Since SDRAM moves data in time with system

clock, CPU knows when data will be ready• CPU does not have to wait, it can do something

else• Burst mode allows SDRAM to set up stream of

data and fire it out in block• DDR-SDRAM sends data twice per clock cycle

(leading & trailing edge)

SDRAM Read Timing

SDRAM

DDR SDRAM

• SDRAM can only send data once per clock• Double-data-rate SDRAM can send data

twice per clock cycle—Rising edge and falling edge

RAMBUS

• Adopted by Intel for Pentium & Itanium• Main competitor to SDRAM

• Separate bus (hence the name RAMBUS)• Bus addresses up to 320 RDRAM chips at

1.6Gbps• Asynchronous block protocol

—Precise control signal timing—480ns access time—Then 1.6 Gbps

RAMBUS Diagram