Stored Program Concept

Question 1

Harvard Architecture

Answer 1

• Separate instructions processing
• Uses additional features such as cache
• Separate buses for data and instructions so no competition for resources therefore an increased processing speed
• Used by RISC processors

Question 1

Von Neumann Architecture

Answer 1

• Single control unit
• Works sequentially through instructions (one instruction at a time)
• Stores data and instructions together in the same memory unit
• Data and instructions share a bus so they compete for resources
• Registers are used as fast access to instructions and data

Question 2

Contemporary Model

Answer 2

Has characteristics of both Von Neumann and Harvard Architecture

Question 3

SIMD

Answer 3

Single Instruction Multiple Data: Parallel processing is where a processor carries out a single instruction on multiple data items at the same time

Question 4

MIMD

Answer 4

Multiple Instructions Multiple Data: Another version where multiple instructions are carried on multiple data items across several cores

Question 5

Distributed Computing

Answer 5

Where multiple computers on a shared network each take on part of a bigger problem

Question 6

Three Box Model

Answer 6

• Proposed by Von Neumann
• States a computer system can be thought of as consisting of 3 boxes
• The processor (main processing unit of the system (CPU))
• Storage devices (main memory)
• Input and output electronics (keyboard or printer - communication with other devices)

Question 7

Three Box Model: Clock

Answer 7

The role of the clock is to send timing signals - connected directly to processor and not along any of the 3 buses

Question 8

Three Box Model: Processor

Answer 8

Connected directly to the clock

Question 9

Three Box Model: Address Bus

Answer 9

The processor is the only component that can place addresses on the bus

Question 10

Three Box Model: ROM

Answer 10

ROM is Read Only therefore does not accept data from the data bus

Question 11

Three Box Model: RAM

Answer 11

RAM must have a bi-directional connection to the data bus as it can be read and written to

Question 12

RAM

Answer 12

Random Access Memory: readable and writable, volatile (contents are wiped every time computer is switched off)

Question 13

ROM

Answer 13

Read Only Memory: Non-volatile (contents are stored when computer is switched off), tends to store instructions required to load computer system

Question 14

What is a bus?

Answer 14

A set of parallel wires that connect components of the computer system together