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Microprocessor - Overview: Block Diagram of A Computer

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that incorporates the central processing unit of a computer on a single chip. It takes binary input from devices, processes it according to instructions stored in memory, and provides output. It consists of an arithmetic logic unit that performs calculations, a control unit that controls data flow, and registers for temporary storage. Microprocessors offer advantages like low cost, high speed, small size, versatility, low power consumption, and reliability.

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503 views5 pages

Microprocessor - Overview: Block Diagram of A Computer

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit that incorporates the central processing unit of a computer on a single chip. It takes binary input from devices, processes it according to instructions stored in memory, and provides output. It consists of an arithmetic logic unit that performs calculations, a control unit that controls data flow, and registers for temporary storage. Microprocessors offer advantages like low cost, high speed, small size, versatility, low power consumption, and reliability.

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surya pratap
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Microprocessor - Overview

A microprocessor is an integrated circuit (IC) which incorporates core functions of a computer’s


central processing unit (CPU). It is a programmable multipurpose silicon chip, clock driven, register
based, accepts binary data as input and provides output after processing it as per the instructions
stored in the memory.

Block Diagram of a Computer

Block Diagram of a Computer

How does a Microprocessor work ?

A processor is the brain of a computer which basically consists of Arithmetical and Logical Unit (ALU),
Control Unit and Register Array. As the name indicates ALU performs all arithmetic and logical
operations on the data received from input devices or memory. Register array consists of a series of
registers like accumulator (A), B, C, D etc. which acts as temporary fast access memory locations for
processing data. As the name indicates, control unit controls the flow of instructions and data
throughout the system.
So basically a microprocessor takes input from input devices, process it as per instructions given in
the memory and produces output.

Advantages of a Microprocessor

Low Cost
Microprocessors are available at low cost due to integrated circuit technology. Which will reduce
the cost of a computer system.

High Speed
Microprocessor chips can work at very high speed due to the technology involved in it. It is
capable of executing millions of instructions per second.

Small Size
Due to very large scale and ultra large scale integration technology, a microprocessor is
fabricated in a very less footprint. This will reduce the size of the entire computer system.

Versatile
Microprocessors are very versatile, the same chip can be used for a number of applications by
simply changing the program (instructions stored in the memory).

Low Power Consumption


Microprocessors are usually manufactured using metal oxide semiconductor technology, in
which MOSFETs (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors) are working in saturation
and cut off modes. So the power consumption is very low compared to others.

Less Heat Generation


Compared to vacuum tube devices, semiconductor devices won’t emit that much heat.

Reliable
Microprocessors are very reliable, failure rate is very less as semiconductor technology is used.

Portable
Devices or computer system made with microprocessors can be made portable due to the small
size and low power consumption.

 
Common Terms used in a Microprocessor

Here are some common terms that we will use in microprocessor field.

Bus
A bus is a set of conductors intended to transmit data, address or control information to different
elements in a microprocessor. Usually a microprocessor will have 3 types of buses : Data Bus, Control
Bus and Address Bus. An 8-bit processor will be using 8-bit wide bus.

Instruction Set

Instruction set is the group of commands that a microprocessor can understand. So instruction set is
an interface between hardware and software (program). An instruction commands the processor to
switch relevant transistors for doing some processing in data. For eg. ADD A, B; is used to add two
numbers stored in the register A and B.

Word Length

Word Length is the number of bits in the internal data bus of a processor or it is the number of bits a
processor can process at a time. For eg. An 8-bit processor will have an 8-bit data bus, 8-bit registers
and will do 8-bit processing at a time. For doing higher bits (32-bit, 16-bit) operations, it will split that
into a series of 8-bit operations.

Cache Memory

Cache memory is a random access memory that is integrated into the processor. So the processor
can access data in the cache memory more quickly than from a regular RAM. It is also known as CPU
Memory. Cache memory is used to store data or instructions that are frequently referenced by the
software or program during the operation. So it will increase the overall speed of the operation.

Clock Speed

Microprocessors uses a clock signal to control the rate at which instructions are executed,
synchronize other internal components and to control the data transfer between them. So clock speed
refers to the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. It is usually measured in Hertz
and are expressed in megahertz (MHz), gigahertz (GHz) etc.

Classification of Microprocessors

Based on Word Length

Hope you read about word length above. So based on the word length of a processor we can have 8-
bit, 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit processors.
RISC – Reduced Instruction Set Computer

RISC is a type of microprocessor architecture which uses small, general purpose and highly optimized
instruction set rather than more specialized set of instructions found in others. RISC offers high
performance over its opposing architecture CISC (see below). In a processor, execution of each
instruction require a special circuit to load and process the data. So by reducing instructions, the
processor will be using simple circuits and faster in operation.

Simple instruction set

Larger program

Consists of large number of registers

Simple processor circuitry (small number of transistors)

More RAM usage

Fixed length instructions

Simple addressing modes

Usually fixed number of clock cycles for executing one instruction

CISC – Complex Instruction Set Computer

CISC is the opposing microprocessor architecture for RISC. It is made to reduce the number of
instructions per program, ignoring the number of cycles per instruction. So complex instructions are
directly made into hardware making the processor complex and slower in operation.

This architecture is actually designed to reduce the cost of memory by reducing the program length.

Complex instruction set

Smaller program

Less number of registers

Complex processor circuitry (more number of transistors)

Little RAM usage

Variable length instructions

Variety of addressing modes

Variable number of clock cycles for each instructions

Special Purpose Processors


There are some processors which are designed to handle some specific functions.

DSP – Digital Signal Processors

Coprocessors – processors used along with a main processor (8087 math-coprocessor used
with 8086)

Input/Output processors

Transputer – Transistor Computer : Microprocessor with its own local memory

Examples

Intel 4004 – The First Microprocessor

Intel 8085

Intel 8086

Intel Pentium 4

Intel Core i7

AMD Athlon

 
 

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