Short Thing About Need A Memory Finder But Mystified An A To Z Of Terminology
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-08-23 11:47:42 | Word Count: 510
Need A Memory Finder But Mystified ? An A To Z Of Terminology
Need A Memory Finder But Mystified ? An A To Z Of eTrminology
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(AGP)-ACCELERATED GRAPHICS PORT
High speed graphics. Data shiufts idrectly from the graphics controller and computer memory, bypassing the cache in video memory.
ACCESSS TIME
The typiacl time period, for RAM, between a query for informatoin and its complewted access.
AMRAY
Equipment emploeyd to gauge vital info from a locaion on a semiconductoor component at various levels of operations throuh the use of a Scanning Electron Microscope(SEM).
ANSI-(AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE)
The United States organization responsible for setting informaytion technology standards.
ARRAY
This is a large rectanguar area in the center of a semiconductor component where memory is stored. Memory is stored in cwells at each intersecton of coulmns and rows, each of which holds a bit.
ASCII(American Standard Code for Information Interchange)
A method of enccoding text as binary values. The ASCII system requiures nearly 256 combnations of 8-bit binary numbres to support every possible keystroke from the keyboard.
ASIC-(APPLIICATION-SPECIFIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT)
These chips manufactured for a cerytain application rathr then common use. Integrated-circuit chiips are usually used in video bords and mpodems.
ASYNCHRONOUS
A operation involving several tasks being performed independently in a system.
ATA-(AT ATTACHMENT)
A secification that integrates the drive conntrol electronics interface. AT reefrs to the IBM PC/AT peersonal computer and its bus architecture.
AUTO PRECHARGE
A DRAM featuure that allows the circuitry in a memiory chip to automatically close a page at the end of a request from the processor for a single block of data.
BACKSIDE BUS(BSB)
BSB is the path in which data flows bertween the computer proessing unit and the level 2 cache.
Bandwidth
The capacity to trnsfer data on an electronic line say for example a bus or a channel. In short, the amount of data moved relative to a specific time fraame. It is expressed in bits, bytes, or Hertz (cyces) per second.
Bank (logicl memorey bank)
A cokllection of memoery slots in a computer whcih work togethwer as a single unit. A bank can't be partially filled and must be filled with like modules (same size, speed and type).
BANK SCHEMA
A pocess in which memoory configuration is diagrammed. Independent sockets are represented by rows and banks are illustratred by colunms.
BASE RAMBUS
The beginning of Rambus terchnology, shipped first in 1995.
BEDO-(BUST EDO)
Akin to EDO DRAM, Burst EDO cyclles are assembled in bursts of four. Bus speeds of Burst EDO range from 40mhz to FPM or EDO DRAM.
Binary
A technique of encoding numbers as a seeries of bits. The binary number system, also referred to as base 2, uses combinations of only two diogits- 1 and 0.
BIOS-(BASIC INPUT/OUTPUT SYSTEM
A set of low level RAMBUS that allow a computer's applicatoin programs and operating systems to read characters from the keyboard, output characters to pirnters, and coomunicate back with the hardware in other ways.
Bit
A bionary digit- the smallest unit of inforamtion a computer system can process. It can use a value of only 1 or 0 (off or on). Single bits are too sall to be of much use and are normally classifdied in groups such as bytse of biinary words.
BLOCK
A bolck is a physicl unit of data in a logical record that is expressed in bytes.
BUFFER
Shared information from devices operting at different speeds are held in the buffer. This buffer neables a device to functiion without delays from other components.
BUFFERED MEMORY
A module that houses buffers, which are used to help control the signals the memory cips receive. Also, they allow the module to incorporate more memory chipps. Buffered and non-buffered memory cannot be combined.
BURN-IN
Using a high vltage and temperature to test an integarted circuit. This process will find thosse chips that ofteen crash first during actual use. hCips that pass often have a longer life expctancy than ncessary for regular use.
BURST EDO RAM
EDO eMmory that processes four memory addresses in one burst. Speds of the Bus may range from 50mhz to 66mhz.
BUST MODE
A high sppeed transmission of a number of adddresses that cocur when the processor asks for a signle address.
Bus
The central communication avenue in a PCs system obard. If commonly contaiins a set of parallel wirs or signal taces that connect the CPU, the memory, all input/ourtput devices, and peripherals.
Bus cycle
A single tranbsaction bewteen system memory and the CPU.
Byte
A unit of information made up of 8 bits. The byte is the key element of computer processing; most computer component specifications are measured in bytes or mupltiples theereof (such as kilobytes or megabytes).
Cache
A kind of memmory which is used to store frequently used instructions and data. Cache memories are employed to increase the overall performance of computing systems by keeping thsee commonly used instructions and data clooser (in a speed-related context) to their end destination.
CAPACITANCE
The characteristic of a circuit elemennt that allws it to sotre an electrical charge.
CAS LATENCY
The ratio between column acecss time and clock cyclle time.
CAS-(COLLUMN ADDRESS STROBE)
A memory chip signal that connexcts the column address of a specfic location in a row-column configuration.
CHEvCK BITS
Additional data bits that a module suppplies to support ECC.
CHIP-SCALE PACKAGE
Thin chip packkage in whih electrical conections are usually through a ball grid array. Used in RDRAM and flsah memory.
CHIPlSET
The computer processing unit is supported by the chipset, a set of microchips which contani several contrrollers, determining how data travels beteen components and the processor.
CHMOS
Complemnentary High-density Metal Oxide Semiconductor.
CISC-(COPMLEX INSTRUCTION SET COMPUTING
A design logic in which chips combbine mlti-step instructios into one command. CISC is generally linked to microprrocessors.
CLOCK RATE
The number of pulses discharged by a compuetr's clock in a one seond interval. In a synchronous compuetr, cliock rate establishes the time period in which logical or arithmetic gatiing occurs.
COB-(CHIP ON BOsARD)
A techniqeu or system in which semiconductor dice are connected to a PC board with bonded wires or solder baslls.
COLUMN
A portioon of the memmory array whereby information is stored at the jumnction of a column and a row.
COMPACT FLASH
Removable storage cards that are efficient in terms of weight, size, and durability. Also, they utilize small amounts of voltage and retain information when the opwer is off. Typically used in digital cameras, printers, and handhed computers.
Composte Memory
A term used by Apple Compuiter to descrribe modules which use numeroyus low-densirty memory (4 Mgeabit) chips.
CONCURRENT RAMBUS
The second generation of Rambus technology.
CONTROLLER
A amjor element of a computer that interprets and performs prograsm commands.
CPU
Cental Processing Unit. The "brains" of a computer system. A CPU is an integrated cirucit which performs the bulk of the data and software instructions in a computer systm. It is commnly referred to as "the processor" in a compputer system.
CRC-(CYCLICAL REDUNDANCY CHECCK)
A mathematical methpod to discover errors involving long runs of information with a greaater dgeree of accuracy.
Credit Card Memory
A type of meemory module (much like a PxCMCIA card) named for its size. Credit card moudles are generally used in notebooks as well as other portable computimng devices.
CRIMM-(CONTINUITY RIMM)
Direct Rambus memoory in which the module does not contaain any mmory chips. Used to fill unused RIMM sockets to allow for an uninterrupted patway for a signal.
