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Computer Architecture- f2.docx

The document outlines the central processing unit (CPU) as a critical component of modern computer systems, detailing its structure which includes the control unit, arithmetic and logic unit, and registers. It explains the von Neumann architecture, highlighting its key features such as the ability to store programs and data in memory, and introduces the fetch-decode-execute cycle that the CPU uses to process instructions. Additionally, it describes the role of buses in facilitating communication between components within the computer system.

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19 views6 pages

Computer Architecture- f2.docx

The document outlines the central processing unit (CPU) as a critical component of modern computer systems, detailing its structure which includes the control unit, arithmetic and logic unit, and registers. It explains the von Neumann architecture, highlighting its key features such as the ability to store programs and data in memory, and introduces the fetch-decode-execute cycle that the CPU uses to process instructions. Additionally, it describes the role of buses in facilitating communication between components within the computer system.

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vusilearona2
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE- F2 TERM 2

The central processing unit (CPU)


The central processing unit (CPU) (also known as a microprocessor or processor) is central to all modern
computer systems (including tablets and smartphones). The CPU is very often installed as an integrated
circuit on a single microchip. The CPU has the responsibility for the execution or processing of all the
instructions and data in a computer application. The CPU consists of:
» control unit (CU)
» arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)
» registers and buses.
Von Neumann architecture Early computers were fed data while the machines were actually running; it
wasn’t possible to store programs or data, which meant they couldn’t operate without considerable human
intervention. In the mid-1940s, John von Neumann developed the concept of the ‘stored program
computer’, which has been the basis of computer architecture ever since. The von Neumann architecture
had the following main novel features (none of which were available in computers prior to the mid-
1940s):
» the concept of a central processing unit (CPU or processor)
» the CPU was able to access the memory directly
» computer memories could store programs as well as data
» stored programs were made up of instructions which could be executed in sequential order.
There are many diagrams of von Neumann CPU architecture in other textbooks and on the internet. The
following diagram is one example of a simple representation of von Neumann architecture:

Components of the central processing unit (CPU)


The main components of the CPU are the Control Unit (CU), Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU) and
system clock.
Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU)
The Arithmetic & Logic Unit (ALU) allows the required arithmetic (e.g. +, - and shifting) or logic (e.g.
AND, OR) operations to be carried out while a program is being run; it is possible for a computer to have
more than one ALU to carry out specific functions. Multiplication and division are carried out by a
sequence of addition, subtraction and left or right logical shift operations.
Control Unit (CU)
The control unit reads an instruction from memory. The address of the location where the instruction can
be found is stored in the Program Counter (PC). This instruction is then interpreted using the Fetch–
Decode–Execute cycle (see later in this section). During that process, signals are generated along the
control bus to tell the other components in the computer what to do. The control unit ensures
synchronisation of data flow and program instructions throughout the computer. A system clock is used to
produce timing signals on the control bus to ensure this vital synchronisation takes place – without the
clock the computer would simply crash! The RAM holds all the data and programs needed to be accessed
by the CPU. The RAM is often referred to as the Immediate Access Store (IAS). The CPU takes data and
programs held in backing store (e.g. a hard disk drive) and puts them into RAM temporarily. This is done
because read/write operations carried out using the RAM are considerably faster than read/write
operations to backing store; consequently, any key data needed by an application will be stored
temporarily in RAM to considerably speed up operations.
Registers
One of the most fundamental components of the von Neumann system are the registers. Registers can be
general or special purpose. We will only consider the special purpose registers. A full list of the registers
used in this textbook are summarised in Table 3.1. The use of these registers is explained more fully in
the Fetch–Decode–Execute cycle (see later in this section).
Memory

The computer memory is made up of a number of partitions. Each partition consists of an address and
its contents. Table 3.2 uses 8 bits for each address and 8 bits for the content. In a real computer
memory, the address and its contents are actually much larger than this.

The address will uniquely identify every location in the memory and the contents will be the binary
value stored in each location. Let us now consider two examples of how the MAR and MDR registers can
be used when carrying out a read and write operation to and from memory: First, consider the READ
operation.

We will use the memory section shown in Table 3.2. Suppose we want to read the contents of memory
location 1111 0001; the two registers are used as follows:
Buses

Within the computer system and within the CPU itself there are many different components that have to

work together. In order to communicate with each other there needs to be some sort of connection

between them that will allow for data transmission.

This connection comes in the form of buses. A bus is a set of parallel wires that connect two ore more

components within a computer system.

The bus can be broken down into three different wires, these are:

Address bus - This carries signals that relate to addresses between the processor and memory. It is Uni-

directional which means that data will only travel in one direction.

Control bus - This carries signals that relate to control e.g. an instruction to read data. This can be uni-

directional or Bi-directional.
Data Bus - This will carry actual data between components and devices. It is bi-directional which

means data can travel in both directions.

Fetch / Decode / Execute

With program instructions and data now being stored in the same memory, a process had to be designed

to allow CPUs (Central Processing Units) to find the correct instruction and execute it... after all its no

longer as simple as reading the switches!.

The process that was designed is known as the FETCH - EXECUTE - CYCLE

These three operations are constantly repeated by the CPU as the computer is running this allows the CPU
to quickly and efficiently work through new instructions as they are required.

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