Record Details

The GALAXY memory system

ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University

Field Value
Title The GALAXY memory system
Names Looney, James Chester (creator)
Stone, Louis N. (advisor)
Date Issued 1963-05-06 (iso8601)
Note Graduation date: 1963
Abstract The GALAXY computer is a large, high speed, general
purpose, digital computer intended to be used for solving
scientific problems. It requires a random access memory
system of 16,384 words of 59 bits each with a cycle time
of one microsecond or less. A memory system capable of
meeting these requirements has been designed for ferrite
core storage elements and transistor active elements.
It consists of four sections of 4,096 words each, with
the initial installation consisting of two sections. Each
section has its own associated current drivers and sense
amplifiers while the memory register, decode circuits,
and timing unit are used in common by the whole system.
An experimental investigation of the memory system
gave evidence that the requirements could be met by using
presently available commercial components. A linear
selection system was selected and investigated by using a 64 core word line and a 4,096 sense line to simulate a
core stack. The experimental results showed that a
minimum cycle time of 700 nanoseconds could be obtained.
The results of an investigation of the system com
ponents were used to select the type of cores and plane
configuration. Ferroxcube type 6F2 cores were used with
a word line configuration of two turns per core and a
sense line configuration of one turn per core. Distri
buted capacitance was added to the sense line to achieve
a purely resistive characteristic impedance and thus sub
stantially reduce the post-write disturb voltage.
The investigation and design of the associated elec
tronic circuits are also discussed.
Genre Thesis/Dissertation
Topic Computer storage devices
Identifier http://hdl.handle.net/1957/49168

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