Memory and

Programmable Logic

Write and Read Operation

The two operations that a random
access memory can perform are the
write(transfer-in) and read(transferout) operations.
The steps that must be taken for the
purpose of transferring a new word
to be stored into memory are as
follows:
1. Apply the binary address of the
desired word to the address line.

Write and Read Operation

2. Apply the data bits that must be stored in
memory to the data input lines.
3. Activate the wire input
The memory unit will then take the bits from
the input data lines and store them in the
word specified by the address lines.
The steps that must be taken for the
purpose of transferring a stored word out
of memory are as follows:

Write and Read Operation

1. Apply the binary address of the
desired word to the address lines.
2. Activate the read input.
The memory until will take the bits
from the word that has been
selected by the address and apply
them to the output data lines.

Write and Read Operation

Instead of having separate read and write
inputs to control the two operations, most
integrated circuits provide two other
control inputs- one input selects the unit
and other determines the operations.
Table- Control Inputs to Memory Chips
Memory Enable

Read/Write Memory Operation

None

Write to selected word

Read from selected word

Write and Read Operation

Two operations we can write in HDL as

DataOut
Mem[Address];
Mem[Address]
DataIn;

Write and Read Operation

Timing Waveforms
The operation of the memory unit is controlled
by an external device such as a central
processing unit.
The CPU is usually synchronized by its own clock.
The memory, however, does not employ an
internal clock. Instead, its read and write
operations are specified by control inputs.
The access time of a memory is the time
required to select a word and read it.

Write and Read Operation

Timing Waveforms
The cycle time of a memory is the time
required to complete a write operation.
The CPU must provide the memory control
signals in such a way as to synchronize its
internal clocked operations with the read
and write operations of memory. This
means that the access time and cycle time
of the memory must be within a time equal
to a fixed number of CPU clock cycles.

Write and Read Operation

Timing Waveforms
Assume as an example that a CPU operates with a
clock frequency of 50 MHz, giving a period for one clock
cycle of 20 ns. Suppose now that the CPU
communicates with a memory whose access time and
cycle time does not exceed 50 ns. That means that the
write cycle terminates the storage of the selected word
within a 50 ns interval and that the read cycle provides
the output data of the selected word within 50 ns or
less. Since the period of the CPU cycle is 20 ns , it will
be necessary to devote at least two and a half, and
possibly three, clock cycles for each memory request.

Write and Read Operation

20 ns
Clock
Memor
y
Addres
Memor
s
y
Enable
Read/
Write
Data
Input

T1

T2

Address Valid

Data Valid
(a) Write Cycle

T3

T1

Write and Read Operation

50 ns
Clock
Memor
y
Addres
sMemor
y
Enable
Read/
Write

T1

T2

T3

Address Valid

Data
Input

Data Valid
(a) Read Cycle

T1

Memory Decoding
There is a need for decoding circuits
to select the memory word specified
by the input address.

Internal Construction Of
RAM
The internal construction of a
random access memory of m words
and n bits per word consists of m x n
binary storage cells and associated
decoding
circuits
for
selecting
individual words.
The binary storage cell is the basic
building block of a memory unit.

Internal Construction Of
RAM
Select
Input

outpu
t

R
Read/Writ
e

Fig- Logic Diagram for a Memory Cell

Internal Construction Of
RAM
Select

Input

BC
Read/Write

Fig: Block diagram of Memory cell

Output

Internal Construction Of
RAM
The storage part of the cell is modeled by
an SR latch with associated gates.
The cell is an electronic circuit with four to
six transistors
The binary cell stores one bit in its internal
latch
The select input enables the cell for
reading or writing and the read/write input
determines the cell operation when it is
selected.

Internal Construction Of
RAM
A 1 in the read/write input provides
the read operation by forming a path
from the latch to the output terminal.
A 0 in the read/write provides the
write operation by forming a path
from the input terminal to the latch.

Logic Diagram of a Small

memory