What is the Von Neumann Architecture?
The Von Neumann Architecture is a foundational computer design model that organizes a system into input, a processor (CPU), memory, and output, with programs executed by retrieving instructions from memory.
What is the stored-program concept?
The stored-program concept states that instructions (program code) and data are stored together in the same memory and are treated identically by the processor.
What is a memory array in a computer system?
A memory array is a structure of storage locations where each location is selected by an address and contains a stored data value.
What does an address (N bits) do in a memory system?
An N-bit address selects which memory location (row) in the array is accessed for a read or write operation.
What does the data path (M bits) represent in a memory system?
The M-bit data path is the set of lines used to carry the M bits of data read from or written to the selected memory address.
What is a bit cell?
A bit cell is the fundamental storage element in a memory array that stores exactly one bit of information, either 0 or 1.
What do “depth” and “width” mean in a 2D memory array?
Depth is the number of addressable words (rows), and width is the number of bits per word (columns) read or written at one time.
How is memory depth related to the number of address bits N?
If there are N address bits, the number of selectable memory words is 2^N.
How is total memory size (in bits) computed from N and M?
Total memory size in bits is computed as 2^N x M, where 2^N is the depth and M is the width.
What is a “word” in memory?
A word is a group of bits read from or written to memory at the same time, and its size equals the memory width M.
What are wordlines and bitlines?
A wordline is a row-select signal that activates a row of bit cells, and a bitline is a column data line that carries data to or from the selected cells.
What happens when a wordline is HIGH (1)?
When the wordline is HIGH, the selected bit cells become active and can be read from or written to through the bitlines.
What is a DRAM bit cell made of?
A DRAM bit cell is built from one transistor and one capacitor (1T1C), where the capacitor stores charge and the transistor controls access.
Why is DRAM called “dynamic”?
DRAM is called dynamic because the stored capacitor charge leaks over time and must be periodically refreshed, and reading the cell is destructive so the value must be rewritten after a read.
What is the fetch–decode–execute cycle?
The fetch–decode–execute cycle is the repeated CPU process of fetching the next instruction from memory into the Instruction Register, decoding it, and executing the required operation.
