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US 3,944,991 AGranted
Magnetic domain memory organization
AssigneeNippon Electric Co., Ltd.
InventorHiroshi Murakami
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The insertion of new data into a major-minor loop memory is effected by selectively controlling the passage of bubbles through at least two gates provided between a bubble generator and the major loop. In a two-dimensional array of such memories, the write process is initiated by first applying a transfer signal to a selected row of the memories to transfer the data in the row into their respective major loops for subsequent erasure. Then, a gate signal is applied to a first gate of each memory in the selected row to condition it for write. Another gate signal is applied to a second gate of each memory in a selected column in accordance with the data to be inserted. This arrangement permits new data to be inserted into only the memory of the array that is located at the intersection of the selected row and column.
Claims11
A magnetic memory unit of a major-minor loop construction comprising:
- a sheet of magnetic material capable of retaining and moving magnetic domains;
- a magnetically soft overlay for defining a major loop and a plurality of minor loops;
- means for selectively transferring the domains between the major loop and the minor loops;
- an input section having a plurality of signal lines and memory gates connected thereto for selectively feeding the domains to the major loop;
- an output section including means for selectively erasing the domains in the major loop and for detecting the presence and absence of the domains in the major loop;
- and means for providing a rotating magnetic field to the sheet to propagate the domains on the sheet.
3 more elements
A magnetic domain memory system comprising:
- a. a memory array formed of a plurality of magnetic domain memory units of a major-minor loop construction, each of said memory units including an input section having a plurality of signal lines and memory gates connected thereto for selectively feeding magnetic domains into the major loop and an output section including means for selectively erasing the magnetic domains in the major loop and for detecting the presence and absence of the domains in the major loop;
- b. first means for feeding signals to the plurality of signal lines of the input sections in selected magnetic domain memory units in accordance with address information and write-in information so that magnetic domains may enter from the input sections into the major loops of the selected memory units;
- c. second means for supplying signals to the memory gates in the selected memory units in accordance with the address information;
- d. third means for detecting signals fed from the commonly connected domain detector means of the selected magnetic domain memory units and unselected magnetic domain memory units;
- e. fourth means for feeding signals to the domain eraser means in accordance with information for controlling write-in and read-out operations, the domains eraser means of the plurality of magnetic domain memory units being connected in common;
- and
- f. control means for controlling the first to fourth means.
4 more elements
A magnetic domain memory system comprising:
- a. at least one memory array formed of a plurality of magnetic domain memory units of a major-minor loop construction, each of said memory units including an input section having a plurality of signal lines and memory gates connected thereto for selectively feeding magnetic domains into the major loop and an output section including a plurality of parallel domain propagation paths provided in the major loop, domain detector means and domain eraser means coupled to one of the propagation paths, and control means for allowing domains to be transferred to one of the plurality of parallel propagation paths;
- b. first means for feeding signals to the plurality of signal lines of the input sections in the magnetic domain memory units, one of which has been selected for each said memory in accordance with address information and write-in information so the magnetic domains may enter from the input sections into the major loops in the selected magnetic domain memory units;
- c. second means for giving signals to the memory gates and the control means in the output sections of the magnetic domain memory units in accordance with the address information so that magnetic domains may be transferred to each domain propagation path including the domain detector means and the domain eraser means in the output sections of the selected magnetic domain memory units;
- d. third means for detecting signals fed from the domain detector means in the output sections which are connected in common among the plurality of magnetic domain memory units for each said memory array;
- e. fourth means for feeding signals to the domain eraser means in accordance with information for controlling write-in and readout operations the domain eraser means of the plurality of magnetic domain memory units being connected in common;
- and
- f. control means for controlling the first to fourth means.
4 more elements
An information storage system comprising:
- a two-dimensional memory array composed of a plurality of memory units arranged electrically in rows and columns, each of said memory units comprising, a sheet of magnetic material in which magnetic domains are moved in response to propagation fields, means for defining a major loop in said sheet, means for defining a plurality of minor loops in said sheet, means for selectively transfering magnetic domains between said major loop and said plurality of minor loops, input means having at least two signal lines and arranged to allow magnetic domains to be fed to said major loop only when said at least two signal lines are simultaneously enabled, and output means for detecting the presence and absence of magnetic domains in said major loop and for annihilating magnetic domains in said major loop;
- a plurality of memory select lines, one for each row of said memory units;
- each said memory select line consisting of the series connection of the first one of said signal lines for each memory unit in the corresponding row;
- a plurality of bit select lines, one for each column of said memory units;
- each said bit select line consisting of the series connection of the second one of said signal lines for each memory unit in the corresponding column;
- and
- means for selectively activating any one or more of said memory select and bit select lines to write desired bits in selected memory units without effecting the other unselected memory units.
4 more elements
An information storage system comprising:
- a two-dimensional memory array composed of a plurality of memory units, said memory units each being of a major-minor loop construction and including input means having at least two signal lines, said input means being arranged to allow magnetic domains to be supplied to the major loop only when said at least two signal lines are simultaenously enabled, said memory units further comprising means for defining at least two parallel propagation paths in said major loop and gate means for selectively directing magnetic domains to one of said at least two parallel propagation paths;
- means for enabling a first one of said at least two signal lines of each memory unit located in a selected row of said two-dimensional memory array;
- means for enabling a second one of said at least two signal lines of each memory unit located in a selected column of said two-dimensional memory array;
- and
- means for enabling said gate means of each memory unit located in the selected column of said two-dimensional memory array.
2 more elements
An information storage arrangement comprising:
- a sheet of magnetic material in which magnetic domains are moved in response to propagation fields, means for defining a major loop in said sheet, means for defining a plurality of minor loops in said sheet, means for selectively transferring magnetic domains between said major loop and said plurality of minor loops, input means having at least two signal lines and arranged to allow magnetic domains to be fed to said major loop only when said at least two signal lines are simultaneously enabled, means for defining at least two parallel propagation paths in said major loop, gate means for selectively directing magnetic domains to one of said at least two propagation paths, means for detecting the presence and absence of magnetic domains in one of said at least two propagation paths, and means for annihilating magnetic domains in one of said at least two propagation paths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.