Unit 5

Programmable Logic Devices

Memory

• Basic memory structure – ROM :-PROM – EPROM – EEPROM –EAPROM

• RAM – Static and dynamic RAM
• Programmable Logic Devices –
• Programmable Logic Array (PLA)
• Programmable Array Logic (PAL)
• Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) –
• Implementation of combinational logic circuits using PLA, PAL.
 What is computer memory?
• Computer memory is any physical device, used to store data, information or
instruction temporarily or permanently.
• It is the collection of storage units that stores binary information in the form of bits.
• The memory block is split into a small number of components, called cells. Each cell
has a unique address to store the data in memory, ranging from zero to memory
size minus one. 8 bits
00
01
Cells
10
11

• For example, if the size of computer memory is 64k words, the memory units have
64 * 1024 = 65536 locations or cells. The address of the memory's cells varies from
0 to 65535.
Why do we need a computer
memory?
• In the computer system, we need computer memory to store various
types of data like text, images, video, audio, documents, etc. We can
retrieve it when the data is required.
Block Diagram of Memory Device

Data
Address N-lines
outputs
inputs P-lines

Read
Write 2P XN
Bits of Memory

Data inputs N-lines

Control inputs
• Inmost of the memory chips available, the same set of lines is used for data
input as well as data output and is referred as bidirectional bus.
• A number of control inputs are required to give commands to the device to
perform the desired operation.
• When R/ is HIGH ,the data bus will be used for reading the memory(output
bus)whereas when R/ is LOW ,the bus will be acting in the input direction and
the data on the bus will go into the memory.
• Chip Enable(CE)
Bidirectional data bus
• Chip Select (CS)
• Power Supply Address bus

• Ground R/ Memory
Read/write control

CS Chip Select
• The primary memory is further divided into two parts:
1) RAM (Random Access Memory)
2) ROM (Read Only Memory)
 Read-Only Memories(ROM)
• ROM is a memory device or storage medium that is used to permanently store
information inside a chip.
• It is a read-only memory that can only read stored information, data or programs,
but we cannot write or modify anything.
• A ROM contains some important instructions or program data that are required
to start or boot a computer.
• It is a non-volatile memory; it means that the stored information cannot be lost
even when the power is turned off or the system is shut down.
Read Only Memory
• It is programmed at the time of manufacturing, as the last process of
fabrication ,according to the information specified by the user.
• It is referred to as custom programmed or mask programmed .
• The data stored cannot be changed after fabrication.
• This process is quite costly , therefore ,this type of ROM is suitable only for
bulk requirements ,of the order of millions of chips.
 Programmable Read only
Memory(PROM)
• It is a type of digital read-only memory, in which the user can write any type of
information or program only once.
• It means it is the empty PROM chip in which the user can write the desired
content or program only once using the special PROM programmer or PROM
burner device; after that, the data or instruction cannot be changed or erased.
• This type of ROM is suitable for storage of data which is of permanent nature.
• The chip is available without any data stored from the vendor.
PROM
• A programmable read only memory is a device that includes both the AND plane
and OR-plane within a single IC package.
• Out of these two arrays AND plane is fixed and OR plane is programmable. Figure
below shows the block diagram view of PROM. In the PROM the AND array will
act as a decoder which will decode the address lines. The gate level structure of
PROM is also shown in figure.
• In mask PROM it is necessary to specify the bit pattern to be stored according to
the requirements of the circuits.
• Since PROMs are used in logic designs these are also referred as PLDs.
• Fig shows AND-OR implementation
of PROM.
• AND matrix is used to form
product terms.
• Each AND gate has all the input
variables in complemented and
uncomplemented form. There is a
nichrome fuse link in series with
each diode which can be burn out
to disconnect particular input for
that AND gate.
• Before programming all the fuse
links are intact and the product
term for each AND gate is given by
• P = I0 .0 .I1 . …..In-1 n-1
Q1) Using PROM realize the following expressions
F1(a,b,c) = Ʃ m(0,1,3,5,7)
F2(a,b,c) = m(1,2,5,6)
Block Diagram n Truth Table of
PROM
A2 A1 A0 F1 F2
0 0 0 1 0
0 0 1 1 1
c A0
0 1 0 0 1 O0
8x2 F1
0 1 1 1 0 b A1 ROM O F2
1 0 0 0 0 1

1 0 1 1 1 a A2
1 1 0 0 1
1 1 1 1 0
Erasable and Programmable ROM
• It is a type of digital read-only memory, in which the user can write any type of
information or program only once. It means it is the empty PROM chip in which the
user can write the desired content or program only once using the special PROM
programmer or PROM burner device; after that, the data or instruction cannot be
changed or erased.
• This type of ROMs are reprogrammable i.e., it can be programmend again and again.
• It is referred to as erasable and programmable ROM.
• Two techniques used for erasing
1) the chip is exposed to ultraviolet radiation
2) in other technique the contents are altered electrically
• The erasable programmable ROM using ultraviolet radiation for erasing is known as
EPROM
• The device using electrical voltage for erasing is known as electrically alterable
ROM(EAROM) or (EEPROM)
EEPROM (Electrically Erasable
and Programmable Read Only
Memory):
• The EEROM is an electrically erasable and programmable read only
memory used to erase stored data using a high voltage electrical
charge and re-programmed it.
• It is also a non-volatile memory whose data cannot be erased or lost;
even the power is turned off.
• In EEPROM, the stored data can be erased and reprogrammed up to
10 thousand times, and the data erase one byte at a time.
 Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Random Access Memory (RAM) is one of the faster types of main memory
accessed directly by the CPU.
• It is the hardware in a computer device to temporarily store data, programs or
program results.
• It is used to read/write data in memory until the machine is working. It is volatile,
which means if a power failure occurs or the computer is turned off, the
information stored in RAM will be lost.
• All data stored in computer memory can be read or accessed randomly at any
time.
 There are two types of RAM:
1) SRAM
2) DRAM

• DRAM: DRAM (Dynamic Random-Access Memory) is a type of RAM that is

used for the dynamic storage of data in RAM.
• In DRAM, each cell carries one-bit information. The cell is made up of two
parts: a capacitor and a transistor.
• The size of the capacitor and the transistor is so small, requiring millions of
them to store on a single chip.
• Hence, a DRAM chip can hold more data than an SRAM chip of the same
size.
• However, the capacitor needs to be continuously refreshed to retain
information because DRAM is volatile. If the power is switched off, the data
store in memory is lost.
• Characteristics of DRAM
• It requires continuously refreshed to retain the data.
• It is slower than SRAM
• It holds a large amount of data
• It is the combination of capacitor and transistor
• It is less expensive as compared to SRAM
• Less power consumption
• SRAM: SRAM (Static Random-Access Memory) is a type of RAM used to store
static data in the memory.
• It means to store data in SRAM remains active as long as the computer system
has a power supply.
• However, data is lost in SRAM when power failures have occurred.
• Characteristics of Static Ram
• It does not require to refresh.
• It is faster than DRAM
• It is expensive.
• High power consumption
• Longer life
• Large size
• Uses as a cache memory
 PLA(Programmable Logic Array)
Programmable Logic Array(PLA) is a fixed architecture logic device with
programmable AND gates followed by programmable OR gates
Example on PLA
Q1) Draw a PLA circuit to implement the logic
functions
BC+ AC+A and + BC
• Soln :

The second Boolean function is in simplified form.

 PAL(Programmable Array Logic)
• Programmable array logic (PAL) has a programmable AND array at the input
and a fixed OR array at the output.
• The programmable AND array of a PAL architecture is same as that of the PLA
architecture.
• The number of programmable AND gates in PAL architecture are smaller than
the number of minterms.
• The OR array is fixed and the AND outputs are divided between OR gates.
Generate the following Boolean functions with a PAL
with 4 inputs and 4 outputs.
• Step 1) Simplify the Boolean functions
Y0 = ABCD
Example on PAL
Field Programmable Gate
Arrays(FPGA)
APPLICATIONS
• FPGA enables manufacturer to implement systems that can be
updated when necessary
• Artificial intelligence, data centres, aerospace, defense, medical
electronics, scientific instrumentation, cyber security etc.
FPGA Architecture
• CLB (Configurable Logic Block) includes digital logic, inputs, outputs. It implements the user logic.
• Interconnects provide direction between the logic blocks to implement the user logic.
• Depending on the logic, switch matrix provides switching between interconnects.
• I/O Pads used for the outside world to communicate with different applications.
CLB
LUT: 4 input look up table that implements the combinational logical functions based on the truth table of
logic function
MUX is used for selection logic, and
D flip flop stores the output of the LUT. It provides delayed version of LUT
Practice questions
Solution using PROM ….You can use
any one design here
Examples on PAL
SOLUTION
Examples on PLA
• Implement the following function using PLA
1. F1 = AB’C’ + ABC’ + ABC
2. F2 = A’BC + AB’C + ABC
solution
• F1 = AB’C’ + ABC’ + ABC
on simplifying we get :
F1 = AB + AC’

F2 = A’BC + AB’C + ABC

on simplifying we get:
F2 = BC + AC