First draft of a report on the EDVAC

1945·6.9 MB·English

by  Von Neumann, John, 1903-1957

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Firct Drift of a Report
en the FLVAC
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John von T
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Contract No. W-670-ORD-4926
Between the
United States Army Ordnance Department
and the
University of Pennsylvania
V
r
re ochool of Electrical Engineering
university of Pennsylvania
June 30, 1945
National Bureau of Standards
Division 12
Data Processing Systems
5jW Smithsonian
Institution
Libraries
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Gift of
PAUL CERUZZI
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DNTENTS
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Sectio;
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1.3 Die " i i' Ln th> r m\ rica] rial pr iucod by such
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M
UAIN SUBDIVISIONS I: E SYi
weed for subdi /isions
3
First: Central ariU^ tic part: CA
;ond: Control control part: CC 3
. ... Third: '.' rious of memory r : (a) - i it
Third: (Coat,.) Memory: M 6
2,< , CA (tcgc.1 r: C), ..' ar together Lh jiati1 part.
Af ind jfforent pari [npul put, mediatin
:
4 : i1 id .v.; i, Lh i aside. Outsid recording medium: It o
2 7 Fourth Input I 7
. :
Fifth: Dut] ut: 7
orison of M and R, considering (a) - (h) in 2.4 7
•
3.0 FROCEDURE OF DISCUSSION
3.1 Program: Discussion of all divisions (specific parts)
at in 2, together with the jsscntial decisions 9
i
if :• "Zigzag" iiscussion of the specific parts 9
3.3 Automatic checking of errors 10
4.0 ELELENTS, SYNCHRONISM NEURON ANALOGY
4.1 Role of rel">y-like elements. Example. Rcle of synchronism LO
4.2 Ne iron; synapses, excitatory and inhil Ltory ty; 12
.
.'...: Desirability of using vacuum tubes of the conventional
radio tub", type
5.0 PRINCIPLES &VERNING THE A] [C. TIOM
5, Vacuum tub* elements: Gates or triggers 14
Binary vs. icimal system 15
i... I
5 .3 Duration of binary multiplication •• 16
5,.4 Tel' • perations vs. saving, equipment 1'
5..: Role of very high speed (vacuum tubes): Pri) of
successive operation. Time estimal
5 .6 n of the princif le
5 .7 F irther discussion of the principle 20-
Standard*
Rational Bureau of
Division 12
Systems
Data Processing
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C N T E N T S
Section
. D E-ELEME'ITS
6.1 Re isons for the intr lucti r • thetii ment 21
6.2 1 y.nj chrrip'dLsomn. of:atthiengs ' \ . ;::-.-•..._:
. I 1 r.k
The r .. . E-el •. vii Lpli thresholds.
1 1 '-ys ?/,
Com] ;ith vacuum tul
.
7.-' CIRCUITS FOfi THE ARITHMETICAL OPERATI WS +, X
7-1 i ! of fe lin;» .. binary i s: ! i -. • iporal
succ05si
7.2 E- ler at netv, id bl ck syml <ia
>
7-3 The adder
J-L, The multiplier: Memory r ;uirements 23
Lscussion of the lory. D< Lay, ^9
Discussion of delays 30
7.7 plier: Det died structure 31
f.8 . .:_: . Lier: Further requirements (timing, local input
id output). 33
3.0 circuit: for the arithmetical operations -, -r,
3.1 Treatment of the sign 34
8.2 The subtracter 35
:'.3 The divider: Detailed structure 36
.
8.4 The divider: Further requirements (cf. 7.?) 38
9.0 THE BINARY POINT
9.1 The main roi^ of the binary point: For X, f 39
7.2 Connection with the necessity of omitting 15 ;its ifter x.
Decision: Only nuiribers between -1 and 1
—
9.3 Consequences Ln planning. Rule:-: for th< peration + , ', x , -r A.1
/.4 Rounding off: Rule and E-element network 42
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13.0 FOR THE ARITHME PERATION-/. OTHER 01
. .
1 .1 The square rootor: Detailed structure 43
square rooter: Further "observati
•
o List of operations: +', -', X1 f
• ,
i,4 Exclusion of certain further operatic!
.
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(
c
b
,
CONTENTS
Section
11.0 ORGANIZATION OF' CA. CQKPLETE LIST OF OPERATIONS
.,53
11.1 Input and output of CA, connections with M
f>0
11.2 The operations i, j. 52
11.3 The operation s
11.4 Complete list of operations: +, — X, -r, sf, i, j,. s
and conversions 55
12.0 CAPACITY OF THE MEMORY M. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
12.1 The cyclical (or delay) memory 5b
12.2 Memory capacity:- The unit. The minor cycle. Numbers
and orders 57
12.3 Memory capacity:' Requirements of the types- (a) - (h) of 2.4 53
12.4 Memory capacity: Total requirements 64
12.5 The delay memory: Physical possibilities 65
12.i6 The delay memory:' Capacity of each individual dl and
| |
the multiplication time.- The number of dl ]'"s needed 68
]
12.7 Switching vs. temporal succession 12
12.8 The iconoscope memory 73
13.-0 ORGANIZATION OF M
13«1 dl and its terminal organs A and SG 79
\ /
13.2 SG and its connections 80
13.3 The two on states of SG 81
13.4 SG and its connections: Detailed structure 82
13.5 The switching problem for the SG 83
14.-0 CC AND M
14.1 CC and the orders 84
14.2 Remarks concerning the orders (b) 86
14.3 Remarks concerning the orders (c) 86
14.4 Remarks concerning the orders (b); (Continued) 87
14.5 Waiting times. Enumeration of minor and major cycles. 88
15.0 THE CODE
15.1 The conterits of M 91
15.2 Standard numbers 91
15.3 Orders 92
,
15-4 Pooling orders 96
15.5 Pooling orders. (Continued 97
.
15. Formulation of the code 98
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