COMPUTER ORGANIZATION AND DESIGN 6th

Edition
The Hardware/Software Interface

Chapter 2
Instructions: Language
of the Computer
The Classic Components of a Computer

2
 What Is Computer Architecture?

▪ Computer Architecture
▪ Instruction Set Architecture + Computer Organization

▪ Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)

▪ WHAT the computer does (logical view)

▪ Computer Organization
▪ HOW the ISA is implemented (physical view)

3
 §2.1 Introduction
Instruction Set
◼ Instruction set: The vocabulary of commands
understood by a given architecture.
◼ Different computers have different
instruction sets
◼ But with many aspects in common
◼ Early computers had very simple
instruction sets
◼ Simplified implementation
◼ Many modern computers also have simple
instruction sets
Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer — 4
 Instruction Set
User Level

Interfacing

Stored-program
The idea that instructions
and data of many types
can be stored in memory
as numbers, leading to the
stored-program computer.
Hardware Level
5
The MIPS Instruction Set
◼ Used as the example throughout the course
◼ Stanford MIPS commercialized by MIPS
Technologies (www.mips.com)
◼ Typical of many modern ISAs
◼ See MIPS Reference Data tear-out card, and
Appendixes B and E
◼ Similar ISAs have a large share of embedded
core market
◼ Applications in consumer electronics, network/storage
equipment, cameras, printers, …

Chapter 2 — Instructions: Language of the Computer — 6

Computer Components: Top Level View