Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Hardware (CH#3)
Hardware (CH#3)
A Computer device is made up of a range of components, both internal and external. All the
components have important roles in the successful operation of the device. Whether it is a desktop
computer, a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, the basic principles of the architecture are the same. An
important part of this architecture is the rules and methods the components follow
All computing devices are based upon the straightforward premise that items of processing hardware
require some input information. This information is converted into data that the processor can carry out
calculations with and turns the information into instruction. Some of this data may need to be stored
and recalled, and the computer will then produce an output depending on the instructions and data that
has been processed.
This type of architecture is used as the starting point for most computer devices. Von Neumann
discussed how the CPU requires input and produces output, and that the microprocessor contains
several different components: a Control Unit, an Arithmetic Logic Unit and a set of a smaller
components called registers. The architecture also includes a memory unit with instructions and data,
both read from and written to. This acts as a storage bank for instructions that are used regularly by the
CPU while the computer is powered, and is called random access memory (RAM). Finally, buses or
connections carry the data from one component of the CPU to another, as shown by the arrows
Registers
Register are used to temporarily hold data and instructions during processing
Stored data in binary bits
5. Accumulator (ACC)
The ALU uses as a register called Accumulator, which stores the results of its calculations. Accumulator
holds data temporarily that is currently being used in a calculation
Immediate Access Store (IAS)
A temp memory that store all the content of the control Unit
Wait for instructions
Before they processed
ROLE OF ALU
Carried out calculations
Carried out logical operations
Holds temporarily
In a register called Accumulator (ACC)
BUSES
Path way of transmitting data and instruction
1. System Bus
System bus contain Address bus, data bus and control bus
2. Address Buss
Uni – directional bus
It carries signals relating to memory addresses between processor (ALU) or memory (MU)
3. Data Bus
Bi – directional bus
It is used to exchange data between processor (ALU) , memory (MU) and input / output devices
4. Control Bus
It can be Uni – directional or Bi – directional due to internal connections
A bus carries signals used to coordinate the computer activities
Fetch – Decode – Execute Cycle
All modern computers with architecture based upon the work of John von Neumann use a method of
processing data known as the fetch-decode-execute cycle. This cycle happens in a matter of milliseconds
and enables a computer to logically process the data it receives in the correct order for the user’s
requirements.
All the component parts of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) are used to make the cycle work. The cycle
begins with an instruction given by a user via an input device and is cent to the Control Unit (CU) via the
control bus. The CU then moves the appropriate processing instructions into the RAM
1. The Program Counter (PC) contains the address of the next instruction to be fetched. PC
2. The address contain in the Program Counter (PC) is copied to the Memory Address Register
(MAR) via the address bus. MAR PC
3. The instruction is then copied from the memory location contained in the Memory Address
Register (MAR) and is placed in the Memory Data Register (MDR). MDR MAR
4. The entire instructions is then copied from the Memory Data Register (MDR) and placed in the
Current Instruction Register (CIR). CIR MDR
5. The value in the Program Counter (PC) is then incremented. So that it points to the next
instruction to be fetched. PC + 1
6. The address part of the instruction is placed in the Memory Address Register (MAR). MAR PC
7. The instruction is finally decoded and is then execute.
Operations are made up of opcodes and operands. Opcode are used to perform an action on an
operand. We refer to coding such as this as machine cone
Opcodes
Opcode is the first part of an instruction that tells the computer what function to perform and is also
called Operation codes. Opcodes are the numeric codes that hold the instructions given to the computer
system.
These are the instructions that describe the CPU what operations are to be performed. The computer
system has an operation code or opcode for each and every function given to it.
Operands
An operand is the data that is required for the specific job as detailed by the opcode. The operand may
be a piece of data itself, or it may be an address location within the main RAM or a register.
Embedded Systems
An embedded system is a combination of hardware and software which is designed to carry out a
specific set of functions. The hardware is electronic, electrical or electro-mechanical.