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Hardwired Control Unit Vs Microprogrammed control unit

The document compares hardwired and microprogrammed control units in computer architecture, highlighting that hardwired units use fixed logic circuits for faster operation but lack flexibility, while microprogrammed units utilize modifiable microcode stored in memory, allowing for greater adaptability but slower performance. It also discusses the characteristics of CISC and RISC architectures, noting that CISC has a larger instruction set and complexity, whereas RISC focuses on a reduced instruction set for faster execution. Overall, the choice between these control units and architectures affects speed, flexibility, and complexity in CPU design.

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Mosin Khan
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15 views

Hardwired Control Unit Vs Microprogrammed control unit

The document compares hardwired and microprogrammed control units in computer architecture, highlighting that hardwired units use fixed logic circuits for faster operation but lack flexibility, while microprogrammed units utilize modifiable microcode stored in memory, allowing for greater adaptability but slower performance. It also discusses the characteristics of CISC and RISC architectures, noting that CISC has a larger instruction set and complexity, whereas RISC focuses on a reduced instruction set for faster execution. Overall, the choice between these control units and architectures affects speed, flexibility, and complexity in CPU design.

Uploaded by

Mosin Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Hardwired Control Unit Vs Microprogrammed control unit

In computer architecture, the control unit is responsible for directing the flow of data and instructions
within the CPU. There are two main approaches to implementing a control unit: hardwired and micro-
programmed.

A hardwired control unit is a control unit that uses a fixed set of logic gates and circuits to execute
instructions. The control signals for each instruction are hardwired into the control unit, so the control
unit has a dedicated circuit for each possible instruction. Hardwired control units are simple and fast,
but they can be inflexible and difficult to modify.

On the other hand, a micro-programmed control unit is a control unit that uses a microcode to
execute instructions. The microcode is a set of instructions that can be modified or updated, allowing
for greater flexibility and ease of modification. The control signals for each instruction are generated
by a microprogram that is stored in memory, rather than being hardwired into the control unit.

Hardwired Control Unit: The control hardware can be viewed as a state machine that changes from
one state to another in every clock cycle, depending on the contents of the instruction register, the
condition codes, and the external inputs. The outputs of the state machine are the control signals.
The sequence of the operation carried out by this machine is determined by the wiring of the logic
elements and hence named “hardwired”.

 Fixed logic circuits are used to generate the control signals.

 Hardwired control is faster than micro-programmed control.

 A controller that uses this approach can operate at high speed.

 RISC architecture is based on the hardwired control unit


Micro-programmed Control Unit –
 The control signals associated with operations are stored in special memory units inaccessible
by the programmer as Control Words.
 Control signals are generated by a program that is similar to machine language programs.
 The micro-programmed control unit is slower in speed because of the time it takes to fetch
microinstructions from the control memory.

1. Control Word: A control word is a word whose individual bits represent various control signals.
2. Micro-routine: A sequence of control words corresponding to the control sequence of a
machine instruction constitutes the micro-routine for that instruction.
3. Micro-instruction: Individual control words in this micro-routine are referred to as
microinstructions.
4. Micro-program: A sequence of micro-instructions is called a micro-program, which is stored in
a memory called a Control Memory (CM).
5. Control Store: The micro-routines for all instructions in the instruction set of a computer are
stored in a special memory called the Control Store.

The differences between hardwired and micro-programmed control units:

Micro-programmed Control Unit


Hardwired Control Unit

Fixed set of logic gates and Microcode stored in memory


Implementation
circuits

Less flexible, difficult to More flexible, easier to modify


Flexibility
modify

Instruction Set Supports limited instruction sets Supports complex instruction sets
Complex design, more difficult to
Simple design, easy to
Complexity of Design implement
implement

Slower operation due to microcode


Speed Fast operation decoding

Easier to debug and test


Debugging and Testing Difficult to debug and test

Larger size, higher cost


Size and Cost Smaller size, lower cost

Maintenance and Difficult to upgrade and Easier to upgrade and maintain


Upgradability maintain

CISC

(Complex Instruction set Computer)

1. CISC uses large no. of instruction typically from 100 to 250 instructions.
2. Only some of of the instruction were used frequently
3. A large variety of addressing modes typically from 5 to 20 are used in CISC
4. Variable length instruction format are used in CISC.
5. Often memory is needed in CISC which makes execution of instruction slower
6. Instructions are more complex as compare to RISC.
7. Execution of instruction may take several clock cycle because the instruction are complex in
nature.
8. CISC uses fewer no of general purpose register (GPR).
9. CISC instruction may take more than one word.
10. CISC generally uses microprogrammed control unit
11. Instruction and data both share same memory space.
RISC
(Reduced Instruction set Computer)

1. RISC uses fewer no of instruction typically 30 to 50.


2. RISC uses fewer no of addressing modes 1 to 2.
3. Fixed length instruction formats are used in RISC.
4. RISC uses fewer memory references and more register transfer which makes execution of
instruction faster as compare to CISC.
5. Instructions are simple as compare to CISC.
6. Generally execution of Instruction take one clock cycle.
7. RISC require more no. of GPR(general purpose register)
8. RISC instruction fits in one word.
9. RISC uses hardwired control unit.
10. Separate instruction cache and data cache are used in RISC.

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