Computer Architecture Glossary Flashcards
Accumulator
Located in the CPU, it is a register in which arithmetic and logic calculation results are stored.
Cache
Volatile fast primary storage located on the CPU. Typically stores instructions that are commonly used.
Embedded System
A small computer that is part of a bigger system, device or machine.
Harvard Architecture
A computer architecture with separate storage and signal pathways for data and instructions.
Instruction Cycle
The fetch-decode-execute cycle ( Instruction Cycle ) is the cycle in which the CPU works.
Instruction Register
A part in the CPU’s control unit that holds the currently being executed instruction/s.
Instruction Set
A group of commands for the CPU to execute in machine code.
Memory Address Register
A register in the CPU that stores which memory address data will be fetched to or sent and stored to.
Memory Data Register
A register in the CPU that stores information about what is being transferred to/from the CPU.
Multiprocessing
Using more than one CPU in a computer system to increase performance and power.
Multithreading
Using more than one thread - more than one instruction being currently executed - at a time in the CPU.
Non Uniform Memory Access
A kind of memory architecture that allows faster location of memory access in multiprocessing.
Uniform Memory Access
A shared memory architecture used in parallel computers.
Program Counter
A CPU register that holds the memory address of the current instruction being executed. Each time a new instruction is fetched it increases the program counter by 1.
Register
Small volatile primary memory located in the CPU to store data.
