IBM buys core memory patent | Techday, March 4th
On this TECHDAY in history, on March 4th 1956, An Wang sold his magnetic core memory patent to IBM for $500,000. A vital invention in the history of computers, core memory was the main method of RAM. It was used in computers from the mid-1950s until 1972 and remained useful for over a decade. The US Patent Office awarded Wang for a patent for his pulse transfer controlling device which was part of the solution to using core memory practically, in 1955. Jay Forrester from MIT was then able to perfect core memory which solved this problem.
Fun fact, “core memory” became the dominant form of computer memory for the next two decades. Today, core memory has been largely replaced by newer technologies, such as semiconductor memory. However, Wang’s contributions to the field of computer memory are still recognized and his work has had a lasting impact on the development of computer technology.
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Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
