Memory cell
A memory cell is a type of information storage circuit useful in many patterns that perform complex logical operations. Most commonly a memory cell can store a single bit of information; see for example demultiplexer, honey bit, and boat-bit. Depending on the application, the circuit may be a toggle circuit or a permanent switch, or it may be possible to send one or more signals to set the circuit to a "1" state, as can be done with a keeper mechanism. In that case a different input signal must be used to test the current state, usually with a destructive read reaction.
A more complicated example can be found in the O(sqrt(log(t))) pattern, which destructively reads a growing 2-dimensional array of minimal memory cells. Each memory cell may either contain a boat (below left) or empty space (below right), with no permanent circuitry anywhere near:
| <html><div class="rle"><div class="codebox"><div style="display:none;"><code></html>x = 43, y = 18, rule = B3/S23
15b2o24b2o$15b2o24b2o2$11bo$10bobo$11b2o3$6b2o24b2o$5bo2bo22bo2bo$6b2o
24b2o3$b2o24b2o$o2bo22bo2bo$b2o6b3o15b2o6b3o$9bo25bo$10bo25bo!
#C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]]
#C [[ THUMBLAUNCH THUMBSIZE 2 HEIGHT 400 WIDTH 640 ZOOM 12 ]]<html></code></div></div><canvas width="200" height="300" style="margin-left:1px;"><noscript></html> Please enable Javascript to view this LifeViewer. <html></noscript></canvas></div></html> |
| (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here |
The two beehives and the block are placed by slow salvos, after an initial 90-degree 2-glider collision that produces a target honey farm. The beehive constellation acts as a one-time turner for an incoming glider. If the boat is present, it acts as a second one-time turner for that glider, sending back a "1" signal. The "backstop" block in the northeast is destroyed cleanly in either the "0" or the "1" case.