Memory Devices and Interfacing

Address Lines
A memory device or memory chip must have three types of lines or connections: Address, Data, and Control. Address Lines: The input lines that select a memory location within the memory device.
Decoders are used, inside the memory chip, to select a specific location The number of address pins on a memory chip specifies the number of memory locations. If a memory chip has 13 address pins (A0..A12), then it has: 213 = 23 X 210 = 8K locations. If a memory chip has 4K locations, then it should have N pins: 2N = 4K = 22 X 210 = 212 N=12 address pins (A0..A11)
A00 A01 Y00 Y01 Y02 Y03 Location 000 Location 001 Location 002 Location 003

An-2 An-1

YFC YFD YFE YFF

Location 0FC Location 0FD Location 0FE Location 0FF

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Data Lines
Data Connections: All memory devices have a set of data output pins (for ROM devices), or input/output pins (for RAM devices). Most RAM chips have common bi-directional I/O connections. Most memory devices have 1, 8 or 16 data lines.
Data Input Lines (DI0..DIn-1) k- address lines (A0..Am-1)
Read (RD) Write (WR) Chip Select (CS)

2m words n-bits per word

k- address lines (A0..Am-1)

Read/Write (R/W) Chip Select (CS)

2m words n-bits per word

k- address lines (A0..Am-1)

Output Enable (OE) Chip Select (CS)

2m words n-bits per word Data Output Lines (D0..Dn-1)

Data Output Lines (DO0..DOn-1) (2m X n) RAM with separate I/P and O/P Data lines

Data Input/Output Lines (D0..Dn-1) (2m X n) RAM with common I/P and O/P Data lines

(2m X n) ROM with only O/P Data lines

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Control Lines
Enable Connections: All memory devices have at least one Chip Select (CS) or Chip Enable (CE) input, used to select or enable the memory device. If a device is not selected or enabled then no data can be read from, or written into it. The CS or CE input is usually controlled by the microprocessor through the higher address lines via an address decoding circuit. Control Connections: RAM chips have two control input signals that specify the type of memory operation: the Read (RD) and the Write (WR) signals. Some RAM chips have a common Read/ Write (R/W) signal. ROM chips can perform only memory read operations, thus there is no need for a Write (WR) signal. In most real ROM devices the Read signal is called the Output Enable (OE) signal.
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Memory Read Operations

A memory read operation is carried out in the following steps:
The processor loads on the Address bus the address of the memory location to be read (Step 1).

Some of the address lines select the memory devices that owns the memory location to be read (Step 1a), while the rest point to the required memory location within the memory device.
The processor activates the Read (RD) signal (Step 2).

The selected memory device loads on the data bus the content of the memory location specified by the address bus (Step 3).
The processor reads the data from the data bus, and resets the RD signal (Step 4).
Clock Address Bus Chip Enable Read (RD) Data Bus Step 1a Step 1 Invalid Data Step 2 Valid Data Step 3 Step 4 T1 T2 Valid Address T3

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Memory Write Operations

A memory write operation is carried out in the following steps:
The processor loads on the Address bus the address of the memory location (Step 1).

Some of the address lines select the memory devices that owns the memory location to be written (Step 1a), while the rest point to the required memory location within the memory device.
The processor loads on the data bus the data to be written (Step 2). The processor activates the Write (WR) signal (Step 3).

The data at the data bus is stored in the memory location specified by the address bus (Step 4).
Clock Address Bus Data Bus Chip Enable Write (WR) Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 T1 T2 Valid Address Valid Data T3

Step 1 Step 1a

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Types of Semiconductor Memory Devices

Read Only Memory (ROM) A memory device that maintains its data permanently (or until the device is reprogrammed).
Non-volatile: It maintains its data even without power supply.

Random Access Memory (RAM) A memory device that can be read and written.
Volatile: It looses its data when the power supply is switched-off When the supply is switched-on it contains random data User programs that are loaded from a secondary memory (disk) Temporary data used by programs such as variables and arrays.

Used to store
Programs such as the BIOS. Data such as look tables e.g. the bit pattern of the characters in a dot matrix printer.

Used to store

A ROM device can be

1. Masked ROM (Programmed by the manufacturer) 2. Programmable ROM (can be program-erased-reprogrammed many times

A RAM device can be 1. Static 2. dynamic

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Types of semiconductor memory devices: EPROM

EPROM is a type of ROM that can be erased and re-programmed. There are two types of EPROMs: the ultra-violet (UV-EPROMs) and the electrically erasable (EEPROMs) often called the flash memory. UV-EPROMs are erased by inserting the device in ultra violet light and programmed using a special EPROM programmer. UV-EPROMs need to be removed from the PCB in order to erased and programmed.

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RAM Cells
Static RAM (SRAM): The basic element of a static RAM cell is the D-Latch. Data remains stored in the cell until it is intentionally modified. SRAM is fast (Access time: 1ns). SRAM needs more space on the semiconductor chip than DRAM.
SRAM more expensive than DRAM SRAM needs more space than DRAM

Dynamic RAM (DRAM): DRAM stores data in the form of electric charges in capacitors. Charges leak out, thus need to refresh data every few ms. DRAM is slow (Access time: 60ns). DRAM needs less space on the semiconductor chip than SRAM.
DRAM less expensive than SRAM DRAM needs less space than SRAM

SRAM consumes power only when accessed. DRAM needs to be refreshed DRAM is used as the main memory SRAM is used as a Cache
Bit Select Data In

Bit Select
Data Out

D En

Data In
DRAM Cell

Data Out

Write

RAM Cell

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DYNAMIC RAM CELL ARRAY

Asynchronous DRAM This is the basic form, from which all others are derived. An asynchronous DRAM chip has power connections, some number of address inputs (typically 12), and a few (typically 1 or 4) bidirectional data lines. There are four active low control signals: /RAS, the Row Address Strobe. The address inputs are captured on the falling edge of /RAS, and select a row to open. The row is held open as long as /RAS is low. /CAS, the Column Address Strobe. The address inputs are captured on the falling edge of /CAS, and select a column from the currently open row to read or write. /WE, Write Enable. This signal determines whether a given falling edge of /CAS is a read (if high) or write (if low). If low, the data inputs are also captured on the falling edge of /CAS. /OE, Output Enable. This is an additional signal that controls output to the data I/O pins. The data pins are driven by the DRAM chip if /RAS and /CAS are low, and /WE is high, and /OE is low. In many applications, /OE can be permanently connected low (output always enabled), but it can be useful when connecting multiple memory chips in parallel.

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DRAM BLOCK DIAGRAM

Samsung Electronics

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DYNAMIC RAM
DRAM requires refreshing every 2 to 4 ms . Refreshing occurs automatically during a read or write. Internal circuitry takes care of refreshing cells that are not accessed over this interval.
For a 256K X 1 DRAM with 256 rows, a refresh must occur every 15.6us (4ms/256). For the 8086, a read or write occurs every 800ns . This allows 19 memory reads/writes per refresh or 5% of the time.

DRAM technologies
EDO DRAM SDRAM DRDRAM DDR DRAM

Soft errors occur on DRAMs which often require ERROR DETECTION and/or ERROR CORRECTION A DRAM CONTROLLER is required for using DRAM

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Memory Expansion on Motherboards

Memory Expansion Using 4 SIMMs on the Motherboard Motherboard

Slot 3 SIMM Slot 4

Memory Expansion using 4 Memory Chips on a SIMM

Slot 1 SIMM

Slot 2 SIMM

Processor

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Memory Address Size Expansion

More than one memory devices can be used to expand the number of memory locations on the system. To expand the word size do the following: Determine the number of memory chips required, by dividing the required memory size with the size of the memory devices to be used. Connect the data lines of each memory chip in parallel on the data lines of the processor. Connect the address lines of each memory chip in parallel with the low address lines of the processor. Connect the CS lines of each memory device with the high address lines of the processor through an address decoding circuit.. Connect together all WR and all RD lines of each memory device.
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Address Decoding
The physical address space, or memory map, of a microprocessor refers to the range of addresses of memory location that can accessed by the microprocessor. The size of the address space depends on the number of address lines of the microprocessor. At least two memory devices are required in a microprocessor system: one for the ROM and one for the RAM. In an 8088/8086 the high addresses in the memory map should always be occupied by a ROM, while the low addresses in the memory map should always be occupied by a RAM. Address decoding is required in order to enable the connection of more than one memory devices on the microprocessor. Each device will occupy a unique area in the memory map. A memory system is not fully decoded if some of the address lines are not used by the address decoding circuit or memory. In this case a memory device will occupy more than one sections in the memory map. This is referred as memory mirroring or memory imaging.

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Address decoding example

Show how a 128Kbyte RAM module can be connected on an 8088 system using 62256 SRAM chips, occupying the address range starting from the address C0000H. Use the following address decoding circuits:
1 2 3 4. Nand decoding circuits Line decoders PLD decoding circuit Comparator decoding circuit

Solution: 62256 SRAM chips: 256/8 =32 32KX8 Number of chips needed: 128K/32K = 4 Number of address lines: 32K = 25K = 25 * 210 = 215 15 address lines (A0 .. A14)

19

18

17

16

15

14

13

A 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

M e m o ry M a p C0000 C7FFF C8000 CFFFF D0000 D7FFF D8000 DFFFF RAM 1 RAM 2 RAM 3 RAM 4

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1

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Answer: Using NAND gates

62256 A0 D D D
0

62256 A0 D A D
14

62256 A0 D A D
14

62256 A0 D A D
14

D
14

R D W R CS
7

R D W R CS

R D W R CS

R D W R CS

8088 System

RD W R A0 A A A A A
15 16 17 18 19

A 19 IO /M '

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16-bit Memory Interfacing (8086, 80286, 80186, 80386SX)

The 8086 differs from the 8088 in three ways:
The data bus is 16 bits wide instead of 8 bits as on the 8088 The IO/M signal on the8088 is replaced by the M/IO on the 8086 There is a BHE (Bus High Enable) signal to enable the upper data bus lines (D8..D15). The address line A0 behaves as the BLE (Bus Low Enable) signal.

The memory is separated into the High Bank (odd addresses) and the Low Bank (even addresses). The 8086 microprocessor can access either the low bank (D0..D7), or only the high bank (D8..D15), or both banks (D0..D15). The is a need only for separate Bank Write Strobes. When the processor reads from the memory, it always reads both banks, and selects the necessary bank internally.
(BHE') FFFFF FFFFD FFFFB FFFFE FFFFC FFFFA (BLE'/A0) BHE' BLE'(A0) 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Function Example

00005 00003 00001 High Bank (D15..D8) (Odd Addresses) ACOE255

00004 00002 00000 Low Bank (D7..D0) (Even Addresses)

Both banks enabled (16 bit) MOV [1000H],AX High bank enabled (8 bit) MOV [1001H],AL Low bank enabled (8 bit) MOV [1000H],AL No banks enabled ---------------

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16-bit Memory Interfacing using separate bank decoders

The first decoder (left side) is enabled when A0 is zero, thus it is enable with even addresses. Thus the data lines of the memory devices decoded by this decoder must be connected on the processors data lines D0..D7. The second decoder (right side) is enabled when BHE is zero, thus it is enable with odd addresses. Thus the data lines of the memory devices decoded by this decoder must be connected on the processors data lines D8..D15.
62256
A0 A14 D0 D7

D15 D8 D7 D0 RD WR A0

A1

A1

62256
A0 A14 D0 D7

A1

62256
A0 A14 D0 D7

A1

62256
A0 A14 D0 D7

A15

RD WR CS

A15

RD WR CS

A15

RD WR CS

A15

RD WR CS

8086 System

Y0 A19 A B

Y1

Y2

Y3 1E

Y0 A

Y1 B

Y2

Y3 1E

LS139

LS139

BHE'

IO'/M A16 A17 A18 A19 A0 A16 A17 A18 A19

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16-bit Memory Interfacing using separate bank write signals

With this method the decoder always enables both banks. On a memory read operation, the data from both banks is loaded on the data bus. The microprocessor selects internally the appropriate bank, according to the instruction being executed. On a memory write operation, only the WR signal of the appropriate bank is enabled, thus data is copied only in the appropriate memory chip.

D15 D8 D7 D0 RD BHE' WR A0 A1

A1

62256
A0 D0

A1

62256
A0 D0

A1

62256
A0 D0

A1

62256
A0 D0

A15

A14

D7

RD WR CS

A15

A14

D7

RD WR CS

A15

A14

D7

RD WR CS

A15

A14

D7

RD WR CS

8086 System

Y0 A B

Y1

Y2

Y3 1E

LS139
A19 IO'/M A16 A17 A18 A19

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32-bit Memory Interfacing using separate bank write signals

The 80386 microprocessor has four bank enable signals to select one out of 4 memory banks. The address lines A0 and A1 are not available. On a memory read operation, the data from all banks is loaded on the data bus. The microprocessor selects internally the appropriate bank, according to the instruction being executed. On a memory write operation, only the WR signal of the appropriate bank is enabled, thus data is copied only in the appropriate memory chip.
D0

A2

62256
A0 D0

D0

A2

62256
A0 D0

D8

A2

62256
A0 D0

D16

A2

62256
A0 D0

D24

A16

A14

80386 Processor

D31 RD WR BE0' BE1' BE2' BE3' A2

RD WR CS

D7 D7

A16

A14

RD WR CS

D7 D15

A16

A14

RD WR CS

D7 D23

A16

A14

RD WR CS

D7 D31

Y0 A B

Y1

Y2

Y3 1E

LS139

A17 A18 A31 IO'/M A19 A31

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Semiconductor Memory Devices:Timing Analysis

An important parameter of memory devices is the Memory Access Time(tacc). This is the time measured from the moment that a stable address appears on the address lines of the device, until the appearance of valid data at the data lines of the device.Another important parameter is the Chip Select to Output Delay (tcd). If the time allowed by the microprocessor is less than these parameters then the microprocessor will read the data bus before the memory places the data on the data bus, thus the microprocessor will read the wrong data. The time needed by the memory device to deactivate the output data buffers is also important. The parameters related to this delay are the Chip Diselect to Output Float (tdf) and the Address to Output Hold (toh) time. The output buffers must be placed in high impedance before the microprocessor starts the next memory cycle.

A d d re s s ta cc CS tcd D a ta td f td h

Sym bol ta cc tcd td f td h

P a ra m e te r A d d r e s s to O u tp u t D e la y C h i p S e le c t to O u tp u t D e la y C h i p D i s e le c t to O u tp u t F lo a t A d d r e s s to O u tp u t H o ld

L im it M in . T y p . M a x . 250 450 120 0 0 100 100

U n it ns ns ns ns

H ig h Z

T im in g d ia g ra m o f th e 2 7 6 4 E P R O M

A C c h a ra c te ris tic s o f th e 2 7 6 4 E P R O M

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Example
You are asked to interface 8Kx8 bit ROM chips with the following data to a 8088 microprocessor: Chip-select to output delay: 70ns(min) 120ns(typ) 180ns(max) Address to output delay: 230ns(min) 340ns(typ) 450ns(max) Chip deselect to output float: 80ns(typ) 100ns(max) Address to output hold: 80ns(typ) 100ns(max) Assume that buffers have a delay of 20 ns, and latches a delay of 35 ns. The delay of the wires is 20 ns A. Calculate the number of wait states (if needed) B. Draw the corresponding memory read operation timing diagram C. Calculate the number of chips required to create a 32Kbyte ROM D. Specify the memory map starting from address F8000H E. Draw the decoding circuit using NAND gates only F. Draw the decoding circuit using a decoder and NAND gates

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