Von Neumann Architecture Flashcards
What does RAM stand for?
Random access memory
What is a program counter?
holds the memory address of the next instruction to be fetched
What does MAR stand for?
memory address register
What is Memory Address Register?
holds the address of the current instruction
What does MDR stand for?
memory data register
What is Memory Data Register?
holds the content at the address held in the MAR
What does CIR stand for?
current instruction register
What is the Current Instruction Register?
holds the instruction that is currently being decoded and executed
What does ACC stand for?
accumulator
What does the accumulator do?
Holds the results of processing
Does a von Neumann-based computer use the same memory or separate memories for data and instructions?
The same
What is the name of the cycle von Neumann computers use to execute programs?
Fetch-decode-execute cycle
Advantages of von Neumann architecture
It simplifies chip design; it allows greater flexibility in developing software and operating systems
Disadvantages of von Neumann architecture
only one bus (pathway) connects the memory and the processor, so only part of an instruction or data item can be fetched at a time, meaning the processors has to wait longer. This is called the von Neumann bottleneck
