Chapter 19 Processor and Computer Architecture

Question 1

Which are the solutions used to construct a control unit?

Answer 1

Hard-wired solution:
Works by using logic circuits
Microprogramming
Contains a ROM component in which microinstructinos or microcode for microprogramming are stored

Question 2

By what name is Microprograming also known as?

Answer 2

Firmware

Question 3

What does computer architecture involve?

Answer 3

Instruction sets
The instruction format
The addressing modes
The registers accessible by instructions

Question 4

Which are the two types of processors?

Answer 4

RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computers) and CISC (Complex instruction Set Computers)

Question 5

Which are the features of RISC and CISC?

Answer 5

RISC
    Has fewer instructions
    Simpler instructions 
    Small-cycle instructinos whenever possible 
    Fixed-length instruction
    Only load and store instructions to address memory
    Fewer addressing modes 
    Multiples register sets
    Hard-wired control unit
    Pipelining easier
    Easier to compile

CISC
    Has more instructions
    Requires repeated memory access
    More complex instructions 
    Multi-cycle instructions whenever possible 
    Variable-length instruction
    Many types of instructions to address memory
    More addressing modes 
    Fewer register sets
    Needs microprogramming since the instructions are more complex and more closely match high-level language constructs
    Microprogrammed control unit 
    Pipelining more difficult

Question 6

What is pipelining?

Answer 6

Pipelining is a form of parallelism applied specifically to the execution of instructions

Question 7

What is needed for pipelining to be implemented?

Answer 7

For pipelining to be implemented, the construction of the processor must have five independent units, with each handling one of the five stages identified

Question 8

What does the five stage model consist of?

Answer 8

Instruction fetch (IF)
Instruction decode (ID)
Operand fetch (OF)
Instruction execute (IE)
Result write back (WB)

Question 9

How much would it take for a processor to process without pipelining?

Answer 9

Without pipelining it would take five times more time for the processor to process

Question 10

Which are the options of handling interrupts?

Answer 10

Erase pipeline instructions in the pipeline when an interrupt occurs
Construct the individual units in the processor with individual program counter registers that allow current data to be stored for all of the instructions in the pipeline while the interrupt is handled