Memory
Block I AGC memory was organized into 1024 word banks. The lowest bank (bank 0) was erasable memory (RAM). All banks above bank 0 were fixed memory (ROM). Each AGC instruction had a 12-bit address field. The lower bits (1-10) addressed the memory inside each bank. Bits 11 and 12 selected the bank: 00 selected the erasable memory bank; 01 selected the lowest bank (bank 1) of fixed memory; 10 selected the next one (bank 2); and 11 selected a BANK register that could be used to select any bank above 2. Banks 1 and 2 were called "fixed-fixed" memory, because they were always available, regardless of the contents of the BANK register. Banks 3 and above were called "fixed-switchable" because the selected bank was determined by the BANK register.
The Block I AGC initially had 12K words of fixed memory, but this was later increased to 24K. Block II had 32K of fixed memory and 4K of erasable memory.
The AGC transferred data to and from memory through the G register in a process called the "memory cycle." The memory cycle took 12 timing pulses (11.72 microseconds). The cycle began at timing pulse 1 (TP1) when the AGC loaded the memory address to be fetched into the S register. The memory hardware retrieved the data word from memory at the address specified by the S register. Words from erasable memory were deposited into the G register by timing pulse 6 (TP6); words from fixed memory were available by timing pulse 7. The retrieved memory word was then available in the G register for AGC access during timing pulses 7 through 10. After timing pulse 10, the data in the G register was written back to memory.
The AGC memory cycle occurred continuously during AGC operation. Instructions needing memory data had to access it during timing pulses 7-10. If the AGC changed the memory word in the G register, the changed word was written back to memory after timing pulse 10. In this way, data words cycled continuously from memory to the G register and then back again to memory.
The lower 15 bits of each memory word held AGC instructions or data. Each word protected by a 16th "odd parity" bit. This bit was set to 1 or 0 by a parity generator circuit so a count of the 1's in each memory word would always produce an odd number. A parity checking circuit tested the parity bit during each memory cycle; if the bit didn't match the expected value, the memory word was assumed to be corrupted and a PARITY ALARM panel light was illuminated
The Block I AGC initially had 12K words of fixed memory, but this was later increased to 24K. Block II had 32K of fixed memory and 4K of erasable memory.
The AGC transferred data to and from memory through the G register in a process called the "memory cycle." The memory cycle took 12 timing pulses (11.72 microseconds). The cycle began at timing pulse 1 (TP1) when the AGC loaded the memory address to be fetched into the S register. The memory hardware retrieved the data word from memory at the address specified by the S register. Words from erasable memory were deposited into the G register by timing pulse 6 (TP6); words from fixed memory were available by timing pulse 7. The retrieved memory word was then available in the G register for AGC access during timing pulses 7 through 10. After timing pulse 10, the data in the G register was written back to memory.
The AGC memory cycle occurred continuously during AGC operation. Instructions needing memory data had to access it during timing pulses 7-10. If the AGC changed the memory word in the G register, the changed word was written back to memory after timing pulse 10. In this way, data words cycled continuously from memory to the G register and then back again to memory.
The lower 15 bits of each memory word held AGC instructions or data. Each word protected by a 16th "odd parity" bit. This bit was set to 1 or 0 by a parity generator circuit so a count of the 1's in each memory word would always produce an odd number. A parity checking circuit tested the parity bit during each memory cycle; if the bit didn't match the expected value, the memory word was assumed to be corrupted and a PARITY ALARM panel light was illuminated
