THE ROPE MEMORY-A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE

P. Kuttner
Electronic Instruments Division
Burroughs Corporation
Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania

INTRODUCTION logically tenable, it will not be considered in

this paper: the changeability being considered
A powerful way of increasing the capability
here as simply a special case of rebuilding.
and flexibility of digital computing systems is
Rope memories have been used in a number of
through the use of permanent storage mem-
computing systems; the use of a rope memory
ories. Such memories are also known as read-
in a computer being designed by the M.I.T.
only memories or NDRO electrically unalter-
Instrumentation Laboratory for the Apollo
able memories. As an example of the applica-
space craft was announced recently.15
tion of a permanent memory, consider a com-
puter used for control purposes. Generally, The emphasis of this paper is on rope mem-
such systems are physically small, relatively ories. The relation of a rope memory to a con-
inexpensive, and are not required to perform ventional read/write memory can only be based
a variety but rather a restricted category of on the question of whether or not a permanent
computations. The problem of program and storage device can be used in a particular appli-
constant input and storage in such systems is cation. In order to place the properties of rope
considerable. Permanent memory can satisfy memories in their proper place in the class of
the input and storage function required in such permanent storage devices, some other tech-
a system in an inexpensive manner. It can, niques of this type will be discussed. (No com-
furthermore, be packaged in such a manner as parison will be attempted with permanent
to minimize volume requirements; in any event, memories based on optical or photographic
the volume occupied by the store for such an principles.) These other techniques have re-
application is less than that required for tape ceived more attention up to now; the discussion
or other inputs. In both large and small scale to follow is based on the belief that ropes merit
computers, permanent memory can be used for similar attention, all the more so since they
the storage of supervisory routines, input/out- give the opportunity for a greater range of
put function routines, and, in the case of the applications.
rope memory, performing logic.
REVIEW OF SOME PERMANENT
The rope memory is a true permanent storage
MEMORY SCHEMES
device in that the information content of the
memory is fixed by construction; any changes Before entering on a discussion of rope mem-
in the information content require that the ories, we shall briefly describe various other
device be rebuilt or exchanged. Memories in permanent memory schemes, the description of
which data can be altered by replacing a change- which will help in placing the information con-
able data element are classed as "semi-perma- cerning rope memories into proper perspective.
nent memories". While this distinction may be The permanent memory schemes to be described
45
 46 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

below are 1) capacitative type, 2) electromag-

netic coupling type, and 3) permanent magnet
twistor type. These memories have in common
the following features:
1) They are organized in a linear select mode. </ </
2) Each storage element stores one bit of in-
formation.
3) Output signals are of the order of a few
millivolts. i/ ./
4) The information state of the memories
can be changed by a relatively uncompli-
cated procedure, i.e., by changing cards
which form the basis of information
storage. i/ ,/ ./
5) Access is random
6) Some batch fabrication techniques are
possible.
At the conclusion of the discussion concern- </
ing rope memories, we shall return to these
points and examine them in the light of the
behavior of rope memories.

Capacitative Type*- n-14-20 WORD LINES ARE HORIZONTAL

Schematically, this memory can be repre- SENSE LINES ARE VERTICAL
sented as shown in Figure 1. A voltage pulse
directed along any one of the horizontal word Figure 1. Schematic representation of the capacitative
permanent memory.
lines will be detected on a sense line if that line
is coupled to the word line by a capacitor; other-
wise, no pulse will appear on the sense line. An of 105 bits. Worst case analysis of noise con-
interrogation pulse applied to a word line causes ditions shows that a S/N ratio of 10:1 is attain-
all bits of that word to be read out in parallel. able.
The word and sense lines are etched on sep- The techniques for fabricating memories of
arate printed circuit boards. These boards are this type are evidently suited to batch processes
then oriented in such a manner that the word that should yield relatively inexpensive stores.
and sense lines are orthogonal. A metallized Mechanical alignment is a problem that must
card insulated on both sides by a layer of mylar be considered in the design of this type memory.
is sandwiched in between these boards. If a The information state of the memory can be
hole is punched in the card at the position where changed by changing the punched metallized
a word and sense line intersect, a small (about cards.
1 pf) capacitor is created, thus coupling the
sense to the word line corresponding to a " 1 " Electromagnetic Coupling Typez
bit. The absence of a hole makes capacitative This particular technique is based on the fact
coupling between the lines impossible. Writing that the mutual inductance between two con-
is thus accomplished by punching holes in the ductors having a fixed geometrical relationship
metallized card in a pattern in accordance with is a function of the medium separating them.
the information to be stored. The metallized If an alternating current, I, is caused to flow
card itself is grounded. Memories of this type in one of a pair of one-turn coils, an output will
have been reported to operate at 5 mc rates, be generated across the terminals of the second
with outputs of about 1 mv for storage capacity coil which is proportional to M„ dl/dt. The
 THE ROPE MEMORY—A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE 47

induced emf in the second coil can be reduced, extremely critical here, since the holes must
for a constant geometry, by inserting a shield- have a very definite geometrical relationship
ing material between the coils. Thus, for to the sense and excitation coils in order not to
example, the insertion of a copper plate of affect the mutual inductance. Again, stored
0.04 mm thickness between two coils of 6.5 mm information can be changed by exchanging
diameter separated by a distance of 0.75 mm cards. A memory of this type is reported as
causes a 23 db reduction in the induced emf. operating at 1.5 mc. Excitation currents used
Binary information can thus be stored as the were 200 ma. Outputs are not explicitly re-
absence or presence of shield between the coils ported but can be computed to be about 50 mv
and can be detected as the absence or presence without taking attenuation into account. Worst
of an induced emf. case S/N ratios at the amplifier output are re-
ported to be 30 db.
The primary coil is the excitation coil; the
secondary coil is the sensing coil. Since excita- Permanent Magnet Twistor Type2-5-7-10
tion coils and sensing coils can be connected
in series as shown in Figure 2, it is possible The twistor is employed in a novel manner
to manufacture arrays of coils by printed circuit in this type of memory. Information is not
techniques. The excitation coils are etched on stored in the twistor, but rather as the absence
one board, the sensing coils are etched on a or presence of permanent magnets. Associated
second board. The orientation of these two with each twistor element, there is a permanent
boards relative to one another is such that the magnet whose function is to generate an ex-
long axes are orthogonal. Each row of excita- ternal field which will inhibit the twistor from
tion coils represents one word, the sensing coils switching if that element is to store a "0" bit.
represent bits. The system is word organized. Alternately, if the twistor element is to store
a " 1 " bit, it is not to be inhibited from switch-
Storage of information is effected by sand- ing, hence no permanent magnet is associated
wiching a prepunched, insulated metal card be- with it. Those twistors inhibited from switch-
tween a pair of boards containing excitation ing will not change state on being interrogated;
and sensing coils. Holes are punched at the in- those twistors not inhibited will switch from
tersection of sensing and excitation coils at one remanent state to the other upon being in-
positions which are to store " 1 " bits. At posi- terrogated. It is thus necessary to follow up
tions which are to store "0" bits, no holes are each interrogation pulse with a reset pulse.
punched. The relative outputs have already
been discussed above. Mechanical alignment is In constructing a permanent magnet twistor
type memory, the first step is to enclose twistor
SENSING wires and their returns within mylar tape. This
PLANE assembly is then bonded to solenoid mounting
boards. The solenoids themselves are prepared
by photoetching. The permanent magnets are
a nickel-cobalt alloy, and are formed on a card
either by photoetching or electrodeposition.
INFORMATION Some 2,816 permanent magnets (bits) can be
PLANE deposited on a card having an area of 55 in2,
giving a density of about 52 bits/in 2 . The
twistor wires and tape are continuous; the
DRIVE assembly of wire, tape, and solenoid boards is
PLANE folded concertina fashion into a stack. Provi-
sion is made to guide the magnet card into
proper registration with the solenoid board.
(It is easy to imagine that alignment problems
are critical here, especially in view of the fact
Figure 2. Electromagnetic coupling type permanent
that twistor elements may interact if spaced too
memory construction. closely together.) Memories with capacities of
 48 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

1.44 X 106 bits have been reported, with an

operational cycle of 5 jusec. Drives required
are 2.0 amperes for the solenoids. Outputs
shewn for a 4,096 word module are 4 mv for
"ones" and 0.8 mv for "zeroes", with a switch-
ing time of about 2 fisec.

THE ROPE MEMORY1-6-8-15-21

Principle of Operation
To illustrate the principle of operation of
rope memories, suppose that a rope is to be
constructed using 2" cores. It must be possible Figure 3.
to select each core uniquely. For purposes of
selection, each core is threaded by a selected set The reset pulse is of the same amplitude as
of n out of 2n inhibit lines. All cores are also the set and inhibit pulses. Its polarity is such
threaded by a common set and reset line. Ini- that it will reset the core that was set during
tially all cores are in the same remanent state. the selection phase of the rope memory operating
Two inhibit registers are used for the purpose cycle. During the read phase the core output
of selecting a given core. One of the registers obtained as a consequence of the application of
stores the address of the core to be selected, the reset pulse is used to generate the informa-
the other register stores the complemented tion pattern. At the end of the reset pulse, all
address of the core. These are the D and C cores are again in the same remanent state.
registers respectively. Associated with each of This selection scheme is also known as the
the 2n bits in the registers is a driver which is Rajhman switch16.
enabled if the bit is a " 1 " ; one driver is con- Each core may store m bits; this requires the
nected to one inhibit line. The set line is enabled use of m sense lines. Information patterns are
simultaneously with the inhibit lines; the set generated by threading a sense line through a
and inhibit pulses are of equal amplitude but core if the bit to be stored is a " 1 " ; otherwise,
opposite polarity. The amplitude of each pulse the core is bypassed by the particular sense
is greater than the switching threshold of the line—these lines correspond to "0" bits as no
core. The polarity of the set pulse is such that output will appear across them when the core
in the absence of any inhibit pulses it will is reset. The sense lines are common to all
switch a core fully. The polarity of the inhibit cores; a given sense line will thread those cores
pulses is such as to prevent a core from switch- wherein a " 1 " is to be stored in the bit position
ing—the inhibit pulses will drive the core represented by that sense line and will bypass
further into saturation. those cores wherein a "0" is to be stored in the
The selected core is not threaded by any of bit position represented by that sense line.
the enabled inhibit lines and is thus switched Figure 4 illustrates the wiring scheme for a
by the set pulse. During this phase of the opera- rope memory of eight words ( n = 3 ) . In the
tion (called the selection phase), the cores act illustration each core stores a three-bit word.
as null decoders21. Referring to Figure 3, we The information stored is the address of the
see that the core will be set if, and only if, none word storing it. For a rope consisting of eight
of the threaded Dn or Cn line drivers is en- cores, there are six inhibit lines; three of these
abled. Hence, are associated with the direct register, the other
three lines are associated with the comple-
Do + C, + C2 = Do C, C2 = 1
mented register. Assume that the data stored
n j _ D U + Ci + C2 -f in word 010 is to be read out. The operation is
D0 D„. Ci. C2 = 1 as follows:
 THE ROPE MEMORY—A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE 49

INHIBIT REGISTERS TABLE I

C D
kth bit of
fTToTTIIoPTol 000 001 010 Oil 100 101 110 I I I
address
Dk ck
SET

0 threads does not thread

ilSENSE , 1 — , 1 does not thread threads
/LINES IRESETI
CORE
Km NO-THREAD Rope Organization
OUTPUT REGISTER
Figure 4a. Rope Memory Wiring Scheme. Rope memories may be organized in two dif-
ferent ways. The m bits stored by a given core
may be considered as the m bits of one word.
Do — Alternately, each of the m bits stored by a given
D,_f rope will be referred to as the "one-eore-per-
D2_ ferent words. These two ways of organizing a
core will be referred to as the "one-eore-per-
Co—r word" and "one-core-per-output bit" modes of
C| — storage respectively. Regardless of the organ-
ization, the bits stored by any one core are read
C 2 _J L-.-LJ
out in parallel.
SET-J L
A rope organized on a one-core-per-word
RESET—,—h H H basis is a random access memory. It is possible
OUTPUT—, i. /V H h S\— to subdivide the m bits stored per core into n
equal parts of n bits each so that a core may
itLLvI SELECT
AND. AND be considered as storing m/n words of n bits
READ READ each. This requires that one of m/n sets of
010 100 sense lines be selected to read out the proper
information; for example, if 256 cores are to
DASHED LINES SHOW UNDAMPED
MODE OF OPERATION store four words each for a total of 1024 words,
the address must be 10 bits long, eight to select
Figure 4b. Timing Diagram for Rope Memory the proper core and two to select the proper
Operation. one of four words.
A one-core-per-output bit organization re-
1) 010 is stored in the direct inhibit register. quires that the rope be read out sequentially in
101 is stored in the complemented inhibit order that the bits of a word appear in proper
register. order. While this mode of operation is possible,
it is not extremely desirable. For one thing, the
2) During the selection phase, the set line
time elapsed to fully read out a word becomes
and the drivers corresponding to " 1 " in
somewhat prohibitive: given a cycle time of
the registers are enabled.
8/i.sec and a k-bit word, 8k /xsec would elapse
3) Core 010 will be set since none of the en- before one word is fully read out. For another
abled inhibit lines thread it. thing, the number of bits that a core can store
4) During the read phase, the reset line is is necessarily related to its inner diameter since
enabled and the information stored in the this is the factor limiting the number of lines
word is transferred to the output register that may be threaded through it. Typically, a
via the sense lines. core having an I.D. of 0.140,/ can have 128 sense
The wiring pattern of the inhibit lines can lines threaded through it. This number of sense
be generalized as shown in Table I. (The LSB lines is certainly adequate for a rope organized
of the address is taken as k=:0.) on a one-core-per-word basis; it is not necessar-
 50 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

ily adequate for a rope organized on a one-core-

per-output bit basis.

Rove Memory Characteristics L1 I l Y 11 I f

Jill ^HTl I I II -++++
A prototype rope can be seen in Figure 5a.
Figure 5b shows a packaged unit. This rope
consists of 256 cores, each of which stores four
16-bit words. The storage elements used in this UNDAMPED OUTPUT
rope are 26 maxwell bobbin cores made of Vs
mil 4-79 Molybdenum Permalloy. The inner
diameter of the bobbins is 0.140". If driven by
ramps having a slope of 400 ma//xsec, the out- '
put of the rope is of the order of 200 mv, with "KJ11
>Tvf ->rr^
1 I M M i l >^H- -H-H-
IJ11 i in -H44-
an absolute S/N of about 9:1. (See Figure 6—
Damped Operation.) The switching times of
the cores are somewhat less than 2 /xsec; but
DAMPED OUTPUT
THE OUTPUTS SHOWN ARE FOR A 256
CORE ROPE OF 64 BITS PER WORD.
BOBBIN CORE! EID #231-002.
SCALES! VERTICAL 100 MV/CM
HORIZONTAL 0.5 USEC/CM
Figure 6. Undamped and damped mode of operation.

since peaking occurs at 2 /xsec after the start

of the ramp, the cycle time is 8 ^sec. The values
of resistance and inductance of various lines are
tabulated in Table II.

TABLE II

Figure 5a. Prototype Rope Memory Storing 256 Words, Line Resistance Inductance
64 Bits per Word.
Set 2 ohms 11 (ih
Inhibit 2 ohms 7,xh

Sense 10 ohms 12 ^h

These data are suggestive of the performance

of a rope memory. Various factors pertaining
to rope memory operation are discussed below.

Drive Currents—It is possible to drive ropes

with either square pulses or ramps as men-
tioned above. Owing to the large inductance
of the selection and sense lines, a fast rise time
pulse makes the L di/dt term large, which in-
troduces 1) considerable back voltage, 2) air
Figure 5b. Rope Memory Package Capacity: coupling noise. While a ramp increases the
256 Words, 64 Bits per Word. cycle time of the memory, it 1) introduces rela-
 THE ROPE MEMORY—A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE 51

tively little back voltage, 2) decreases air cou- pulses. As is true in regular coincident current
pling noise, 3) gives greater uniformity of core or linear select memories, not all rope memories
outputs. are made with the same type of core and the
magnitude of the threshold switching field is
The constraints placed on the various drive
clearly a function of the core used. One vital
currents are relatively minor:
tradeoff appears in choosing a core for a rope
1) Each of the set, reset and inhibit pulses memory: the storage capacity, the required
must exceed the switching threshold of drive currents, and the output voltage are a
the core. function of core size. The storage capacity and
2) The amplitude of the inhibit pulses must the required drive currents are directly pro-
be greater than or equal to the amplitude portional to the inner diameter of the core;
of the set pulse. hence, the drive currents increase as the num-
3) The set pulse may not start before or end ber of bits to be stored increases. It thus be-
after the inhibit pulses, and must ter- comes axiomatic that for a given required
minate before the reset line is enabled. capacity the smallest core making the memory
manufacturable is to be selected as the storage
There is no requirement that the set and in- element.
hibit pulses have the same shape: in fact, it is
possible and desirable to apply essentially DC Outputs and Noise Cancellation—The output
on the inhibit lines; the set pulse may be either of a particular rope for given drive conditions
a square wave or a ramp, as long as the other was given above. This magnitude output is
constraints are met. The desirability of DC on typical for the given slope and memory capac-
the inhibit lines will be discussed below in the ity. The memory capacity governs the output
section on noise cancellation. The reset pulse insofar as the length of the sense lines, and
ought to be a ramp for the reasons advanced hence their attenuation, varies in direct pro-
above. The relation of the core output to the portion to the number of cores common to a
ramp pulse is shown in Figure 7. set of sense lines.
Since the selection scheme associated with Noise problems in rope memories can be
rope memories is such that one and only one rather severe. Fortunately, there are two very
core is not inhibited from switching during the simple methods by which noise can be mini-
selection phase and only that core is reset dur- mized to give S/N ratios of about 10:1. Be-
ing the read phase, the core may be overdriven fore discussing these schemes, the causes of
in order to increase operating cycles. This will the noise in the rope will be discussed.
also increase the core output. Clearly, power
consumption is increased too. In the first instance, noise is introduced in
the sense lines due to the air coupling between
No general statement can be made regarding the sense lines and the drive lines. This com-
the amplitude requirements of the various ponent is proportional to L di/dt. Secondly,
during reset time the (2n—1) unselected cores
are driven into saturation. This contributes an
RESET PULSE amount of noise which is proportional to
(2"—1) - ^ where <f>k is the flux excursion
between the remanent and saturation points of
-V max the core. This noise can be many times the
CORE OUTPUT output of the selected core.
The air flux coupling can be reduced by
doubling back the sense line causing it to re-
turn at its starting point. This doubling back
h—fp—i minifnizes the area in which coupling can occur.
Figure 7. Relation between the core output and tha
The noise flux can be cancelled by providing
ramp used to generate it. sense line cancellation and/or by leaving the
 52 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

inhibit lines on during the read phase as is The decision to use or not to use rope memories
suggested in Figure 4b, i.e., by using essentially in these applications must then be based on
DC. Noise line cancellation is provided in such such factors as cost, immunity to environment,
a manner that one-half of the unselected cores speeds, selection techniques, and circuit re-
threaded by a given sense line are threaded in quirements.
a sense opposite to that which is given to the
The rope has a built-in feature which is lack-
remaining half of the linked unselected cores.
ing in other types of permanent memories and
This will, in the worst case, leave one noise
which gives it a flexibility that extends its use-
output uncancelled. Clearly, each sense line
fulness considerably. The rope is essentially
will have a unique cross-over point. Leaving
a coding switch, and may thus be used to per-
the inhibit lines on during the read phase of
form logic and lookup functions in a very ef-
the cycle does not interfere with the resetting
ficient manner.
of the selected core; it will, however, minimize
the d<£k/dt term. This mode of operation is The use of ropes to perform logic (micro-
defined as "damped". The outputs of a rope programming) is straightforward and has been
in the damped and undamped modes of opera- discussed by Walendziewicz in his paper on
tion are shown in Figure 6. the Burroughs D210 Magnetic Computer21. In
that computer, ropes are used both to perform
Rope Storage Elements and Speeds—Basical- logic and as fixed storage devices. The com-
ly, two types of storage elements can be used in puter itself is used as a control element in
rope memories: bobbin cores and ferrites. The various space and missile applications. Yii28
ferrites may be either square loop or linear. has proposed and put into practice a scheme
The advantage in using bobbin cores is that whereby every minterm in a Boolean function
they require lower drives than ferrites, are is represented by a core in a rope, and a wiring
relatively insensitive to large variations in the table is generated by negating the function and
thermal environment, and give higher outputs then applying De Morgan's Theorem. Using
per unit of area due to their higher flux density. Yii's scheme, complements of the inputs are not
Ferrites offer a wider opportunity for experi- always required.
menting with different geometries and reduc-
ing parts of the manufacturing technique to a The use of a rope memory as a dictionary
batch fabrication process9. in automatic language translation has been pro-
posed8. If a source word is encoded in a stand-
The ropes we have manufactured have been ard six-bit code, the encoded source word will
made with bobbin cores exclusively in order automatically select one core which can be made
that they might meet required environmental to store the target word. This overcomes the
specifications. It is possible to operate bobbin necessity for conducting a search. In this ap-
cores in a temperature range extending from plication, the D and C lines represent the en-
—70°C to +150°C. Using bobbin cores, we coded source word and its complement. If in
feel that the cycle times can at best be reduced addition to the target word, the complemented
to 6 psec without resorting to overdriving. target word is also wired into the cores, the
Using linear ferrites in novel geometries, cycle rope may serve as a two-way dictionary, e.g.,
times of 2-4 /xsec are attainable. Russian-English and English-Russian.
Rope Memory Applications Rope memories can be used to effect informa-
tion retrieval and association. For information
The function of data storage is common to retrieval purposes, a rope could operate in the
all permanent memories. The data to be stored one-core-per-word mode. The descriptors can
may typically consist of programs, constants, be encoded in binary format. The binary coded
supervisory routines or abstracts; e.g., a capac- descriptor then uniquely addresses a given core
itative memory developed by the Academy of (or cores, in the case of multiple entries). Each
Sciences of the USSR is used to store abstracts core in turn stores the location of the required
of scientific literature 14 . Rope memories are document. Content addressing can also be real-
clearly capable of performing these functions. ized with rope memories by interchanging the
 THE ROPE MEMORY—A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE 53

role of the sense and inhibit lines. The sense

lines corresponding to bits used as the associa-
tive criteria are driven during the selection
phase of the cycle. The particular combination
of sense lines will cause all those cores storing
information in accord with the search bits to
be switched. During read time the addresses
of all cores so switched can be determined by-
linking each core to a detector.
Figure 8. Sense line tester.
ROPE MEMORY MANUFACTURE
Rope memory manufacture is unique in that tored across that sense line. The output is
1) no batch fabrication techniques are possible compared to the information stored on the 90-
at the moment, 2) with the exception of the column card. The sense line tester is shown in
set, reset, and inhibit lines, there is no regular Figure 8. (The details of the manufacturing
wiring pattern, 3) the test of the final assembly equipment and processes are the subject of a
must establish that all cores are within speci- paper presently being prepared by the personnel
fication at the end of the manufacturing process responsible for its design.)
and that the information wired into the rope
is correct. At the completion of the memory assembly,
the rope is tested again. This final test consists
Up to the moment, we have used only dis- of again testing each sense line as described
crete cores as storage elements in rope memories.
above and/or reading out each word (core) in
In the near future, we hope to be able to pro-
turn and comparing the wired word output
duce storage elements on a batch basis, using
against the desired word output, which is also
ferrites in conjunction with thick magnetic
stored on a 90-column card. Each rope is also
films9.
tested to insure that the outputs of the whole
The main labor involved in the manufacture assembly of cores are consistent with one an-
of a rope memory is in the wiring. This process other; i.e., that the cores meet their specifica-
has been automated to the fullest extent possible tion. This latter test is the third test that the
in order to reduce unit costs and to minimize cores are subjected to: they are first tested in
the chances for human error. Rope memories a "raw" state to determine if they meet speci-
are manufactured in modules of 256 or 512 fications, and they are again tested after mount-
cores. Initially, the set, reset, and inhibit lines ing on the assembly matrix prior to being wired.
are wired in. At this stage, the rope is tested
Packaging techniques are primarily depend-
to see that these lines were wired in correctly.
ent on the connector type used. Generally, ropes
This is done by driving each core in turn with
should be pluggable, which demands that a rug-
a single turn winding and monitoring the out-
ged connector be used. The choice of the con-
put on the inhibit lines to determine whether
nector is dependent on the size of the rope (256
or not a given inhibit line threads the core.
or 512 cores) and the maximum number of
After the rope passes this test, it is obvious
sense lines. Our experience with packaging
that each core can be selected properly. The
cores suggests that there are no difficulties in
next step consists of wiring in the sense lines.
encapsulating a complete rope to protect it
For each sense line, there are as many thread,
against environmental stresses.
no-thread decisions as there are cores in the
rope. All the thread, no-thread decisions for a
sense line for 256 cores are encoded on a 90- ROPE MEMORY SYSTEM
column card. This card is used not only to gov- As mentioned above, a number of rope mem-
ern the wiring phase of the manufacturing ory systems have been built and placed into
process, but also to test the correctness of the operation. A rope presently being designed and
wiring. After each sense line is inserted, each constructed is outlined in block diagram form
core is addressed in turn and its output moni- in Figure 9. The purpose of this section is to
 54 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

briefly outline the approach used in the design The description of the rope memory system
of this system. under construction is as follows:

STORAGE CAPACITY 256 words, expandable in modules of 256 words.

Maximum number of bits per core: 64.
Provision will be made for storing up to four words per core.
ADDRESS INPUT Either serial or parallel. Only "true" address needs to be furnished.
An eight-bit address input is required if one core stores one word.
If cores store four words, a ten-bit address is required.
INFORMATION OUTPUT Either serial or parallel.
STANDARD LEVELS 0 and -6 volts.
CYCLE TIME 8 ju-sec.
POWER REQUIREMENTS 115 v AC, 60 cycles. Actual power will depend on memory config-
uration.
MECHANICAL 19" rack mount. Minimum height including power supply: 21".
Rope memory will be interchangeable.
VERIFIER A built-in verifier will allow each word to be addressed manually
so that word content can be verified. Provision will be made for
testing the memory under worst case drive conditions.

nally. If four 16-bit words are to be stored per

ADDRESS core, giving a total storage capacity of 1024
INPUT words, the address must consist of ten bits: the

1
ADDRESS
eight low-order bits select the core, the re-
maining two bits are used to identify which of
the four words stored by that core are to be
REGISTER read out.
Inspection of Figure 9 shows that no decod-
i' ing circuits are necessary to select a core. All
the information required for selection is con-
DRIVERS tained in the address and its internally gen-
erated complement.
MEMORY
Selection may be accomplished in one of three
SET different ways: 1) by having one driver asso-
ciated with each of the direct and complemented
address register bits and enabling those drivers
RESET whose corresponding bit position in the register
is a " 1 " ; 2) by using eight drivers and steer-
it
ing the current through the appropriate inhibit
lines by means of switches controlled by the
SENSE AMPLIFIERS address register; 3) by using sixteen switches
and activating eight of these to switch the
proper inhibit lines from a zero level to a DC
OUTPUT level able to generate the proper inhibit signal.
The system under construction uses the last
Figure 9. Rope memory system. mentioned scheme. In addition, a set and reset
driver are provided. The only restriction on the
The eight-bit address of the core to be selected inhibit currents is that their amplitude be
is the input to the rope memory system. The greater than that of the set pulse during the
complement of the address is generated inter- time the set pulse is turned on; no restrictions
 THE ROPE MEMORY—A PERMANENT STORAGE DEVICE 55

are placed on the inhibit current waveforms. in order to select the proper word. The address
A damped mode of operation is used. must be decoded as in any linear select scheme,
a step not necessary in the rope memory system.
The output is fed into a flip-flop shift register.
If four words are stored per core, the selected Due to the unique selection scheme employed
word will be gated to the output register by by the rope memory and the fact that the toler-
using the information contained in the addi- ances on the inhibit drivers are very loose, to-
tional two bits of the address. gether with the relative simplicity of the sense
amplifiers due to the high output levels of the
The block diagram of a memory system uti-
cores, the component count in such a system
lizing an electromagnetic coupling type perma-
can be reduced by from 30% to 50% as com-
nent memory3 is shown in Figure 10, The pared to systems using other permanent mem-
block diagram has been simplified for compari- ory schemes.
son purposes. A system of this type is inher-
ently faster than a rope memory system since SUMMARY OF CHARACTERISTICS
it depends on a coupling response proportional
to di/dt and not on the switching time of a A summary of various characteristics of the
magnetic core. Since the output is dependent permanent memory schemes considered is given
on di/dt, the rise time of the current pulse in Table III. Unfortunately, certain critical
must be carefully controlled; in the rope system data is available only for the rope memory, and
such careful control is not required as explained while it can be guessed what the comparable
above. The input to that system is a nine-bit data is for other memory types, a comparison
code. Six bits are used to select one of 64 chan- made on such a basis cannot be considered ob-
nels. The remaining three bits are used to jective. For example, no data is available on
select one of eight words stored per channel— the cost per bit of the various memory types
this corresponds to selecting one of four words discussed, nor is power consumption mentioned.
stored per core in the rope memory system. In the rope memory, both cost per bit and power
There are 41 bits per word. The selection is consumption are a function of core type used.
accomplished by fragmenting the input as Generally, as the flux is increased (for bobbin
shown, and decoding each of the three segments cores) both price and power consumption in-
crease. Within limits, the cost per bit of a rope
2 memory is the same as the cost per bit of a
BITS DECODER SENSE coincident current memory. Power require-
LINE
B SELECTOR ments have been discussed above. Storage den-
sity in rope memories is between 500 and 800
6 bits per cubic inch.
BITS
DECODER
A The cycle times of all but the capacitative
type memory appear capable of some improve-
MEMORY ment. As mentioned above, the use of linear
CHANNEL f errites as storage elements should make it pos-
SELECTOR
(DRIVER) sible to operate rope memories with a cycle time
of 2-4 /xsec. With regard to peripheral circuitry
necessary to operate the various memories, the
BIT DECODER SENSE rope offers the greatest simplicity due to its
C LINE unique selection scheme.
SELECTOR
By adopting special packaging techniques,
the addition of a limited number of data words
SENSE OUTPUT is feasible in rope memories. Information can
AMPLIFIERS
always be deleted by shorting out the unwanted
Figure 10. Electromagnetic coupling type permanent core with a single-turn winding; up to ten new
memory system. words can probably be put into a 256 core rope
 56 PROCEEDINGS—FALL JOINT COMPUTER CONFERENCE, 1963

TABLE III
SUMMARY OF CHARACTERISTICS

Permanent Changing Automatic Bits Per

Memory Data Mechanical Cycle Mag- Reset Storage Addressing
Type Feasible? Alignment Time Output netic Required Access Element

ROPE NO Not 6-10 100- Yes Yes Random 64+ Null

applicable ^sec 200mv depending decoder
on core

CAPACI- YES Critical 200 lmv No No Random 1 Linear

TATIVE /xsec Select

EM COU- YES Critical 1 ]xsec 50mv* No No Random 1 Linear

PLING Select

PM YES Critical 5 fisec 4mv Yes Yes Random 1 Linear

TWISTOR Select
*This value is computed and does not take attenuation into account.

to replace information deleted in this manner. Capacity", IRE Tran&. on EC, EC-10, 451,
While the other schemes allow wholesale altera- (1961).
tion of information, the ease with which this ENDO, I., and YAMATO, J., "The Metal
can be done must be somewhat tempered by the Card Memory, A New Semipermanent
mechanical alignment which is critical. Store", Large-Capacity Memory Tech-
niques for Computing Systems; ACM Mon-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ograph Series, Yovits, Ed., The Macmillan
The work done with rope memories which Co., New York, 1962.
forms much of the basis of this paper has de- FOGLIA, et al., "Card Capacitor—A Semi-
pended on the cooperation of a number of permanent, Read Only Memory." IBM
people. It is with pleasure that I acknowledge Journal of Research and Development, 5,
the efforts of Messrs. W. Hennessey, A. Dorn, 67 (1961).
D. Pilsetnieks, and D. Clemson, all of the Elec- GIANOLA, et al., "Large-Capacity Card
tronic Instruments Division of the Burroughs Changeable Permanent Magnet Twistor
Corporation. Messrs. Hennessey, Dorn and Memory". Large-Capacity Memory Tech-
Pilsetnieks are responsible for the design of the niques for Computing Systems; ACM Mon-
rope memory manufacturing equipment and ograph Series, Yovits, Ed., The Macmillan
packaging techniques. Mr. Clemson is largely Co., New York, 1962.
responsible for the realization of the test
6. GETLER, W., "Space Role Seen for New
system, the coordination of the manufacturing
Computer", Missiles and Rockets, 12, 31
procedure, and the work on the rope memory
system described in the paper. (1963).
KRYLOW, et al., "Semipermanent Memory:
BIBLIOGRAPHY Latest Use for Twistors", Electronics, 36,
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