Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh
Name of the Faculty: S.V. SUBBA REDDY,
Designation : Senior Lecturer
Branch : Electronics & Communication
Engineering
Institute : G.M.R. Polytechnic, Madanapalle.
Year/ Semester : 3rd Semester
Subject : Digital Electronics
Sub-code : EC304
Topic : Registers & Memories
Duration : 100 min
Sub Topic : ROM, RAM, working principle of ROM
Teaching Aids : PPT, Animations.

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OBJECTIVES

On the completion of this period, you would be able

to know

• What is ROM?

• What is RAM?

• Differentiate between ROM and RAM

• Working principle of ROM

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 RECAP
1. What is a memory device?
• A device that can store information in electrical , magnetic
or optical form.

2. Give the classification of memories based on method

of access.
• Direct access memory.
• Sequential access memory.

3. List two semiconductor memories.

• Read only memory.
• Random access memory

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ROM

• ROM is a Read Only Memory.

• It is non-volatile.

• Used for permanent storage.

• Contents are permanently stored in ROM at the

time of manufacturing.

• User cannot write into a ROM.

• ROMs are simple, cheap and dense.

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RAM

• It is a Read/Write memory.

• It has random access property.

• The access time is same for each memory

location.

• It is a volatile memory.

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DISTINGUISH BETWEEN ROM and RAM

ROM RAM
1. The data stored can 1. This is the memory in
only be read from but which we read as well
not written. as write the data.
2. Used for permanent 2. Used for temporarily
storage storage
3. It is a non-volatile 3. It is a volatile memory
memory
4. Storage elements are 4. Storage elements are
diodes and transistors flip flops and capacitor

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Read Only Memory (ROM)
• The memory system in which only reading

operation is possible is known as Read only

Memory.

• In simple ROM, once the memory is

programmed, it cannot be changed.

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Read Only Memory (contd.)

• Most IC ROMS utilise the presence or absence

of diodes or transistors at ROW/COLUMN

junction to represent a 1 or 0.

• The ROW selection is done by using a decoder.

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ROM using Decoder

Fig 1

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Working principle of ROM

• The ROW wires indicate the various address lines.

• The COLUMN wires correspond to the data wires.

• Here total 8 address lines are used, each

address
stores a 4 bit data.
• The presence and absence of the diode
corresponds to the bit stored.

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Working principle of ROM (contd)

• At the ROW ‘0’, a HIGH voltage turns ON the

diodes connected to it and all other diodes are OFF.

Then a HIGH output appears at D3, D1 and D0.

• The stored word at ROW ‘0’ is 1011.

• At the ROW ‘5’ HIGH output appears at D1, the

stored word is 0010
.• At the ROW ‘6’ the stored word is 0100.

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Address and data of typical memory

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SUMMARY

We have discussed about

• RAM and ROM

• Working principle of ROM

• Distinguish between RAM and ROM

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Quiz

1. The memory in which we cannot erase the

data stored is

a) RAM

b) ROM

c) Magnetic tape

d) None

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2. A semiconductor ROM basically is

a) Combinational logic circuit

b) A set of flip-flops memory element

c) A sequential circuit with flip-flops and gates

d) None of the above

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Read only Memory? Explain its importance.

2. Explain the working principle of ROM.

3. Distinguish between RAM and ROM

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