Lecture 1

Microprocessors and Computer Systems

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What is a microprocessor?

It’s a semiconductor IC Provides the pseudointelligence of a system

Performing arithmetic and logic ops Reading data from and writing data to memory

and I/O Perform step-by-step procedure

Implement as a CPU in a computer system Used for any application requiring decision

capability and/or process control

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Von Neumann’s Model

Memory

Output

Input

CPU

Stored-program computer model

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Before Microprocessor Era 1940s (first gen. of electrical

digital computers) Vacuum tubes

Late 1950s & early 1960s Transistors

Post-1960 ICs

Along came microprocessors…

More information wikipedia (topic: “History of computing hardware”)

1. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/5b/RCA12ax7.jpg

2. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f8/Transistor-photo.JPG

3. http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/images/c01356.jpg

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Physical aspect of Microprocessors

Small size of die Contain millions of

transistors (and counting…)

http://www-md.e-technik.uni-rostock.de/lehre/vlsis/2002/chip/chip_bilder/gleu/chip1.jpg

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Moore’s Law

Gordon E. Moore (Co-founder of Intel)

Getting double the number of transistors in every 24 months (with minimum cost)

Get more info from Intel’s website (recommended)

2. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a9/Wgsimonmooreslaw001.jpg

1. http://www.intel.com/technology/mooreslaw/pix/ml_img.jpg

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MPU development (case study of Intel)

http://www.intel.com/museum/online/hist_micro/hof/tspecs.htm

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Why do we study this stuff?

Applications

OperatingSystems

ComputerSystem

(CPU rules)

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Course Outline (revisit)

Microprocessors & Computer Systems Microprocessor Architecture Instruction Set Memory Technology & Interfacing MMU, Cache Memory

Memory

Output

Input

CPU

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Course Outline (revisit)

Input/Output & interfacing Interrupts DMA Modern microprocessors Embedded technology Discussion on microprocessors

Memory

Output

Input

CPU