Overview of Microcomputer
Structure and Operation
Department of Computer Science & Engineering
BRAC University.
Course ID: CSE - 341
Course Title: Microprocessors
Block Diagram of a Microcomputer
Components of Microcomputer:
CPU (Microprocessor)
Memory (RAM, ROM etc.)
I/O
System Buses:
Address bus
Data bus
Control bus
Address bus
ROM RAM I/O I/O
CPU interface devices
Data bus Control
bus
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CPU - Central Processing Unit
FETCH : Take in binary-coded instructions from memory
DECODE : Analyze or make sense of the instructions
EXECUTE : Carry out the instructions
Controls overall operation of the computer
Important components: Registers , ALU , Control Unit
Pentium D dual core processors
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Memory
This is where all the binary coded instructions and data are stored.
Example: ROM, RAM etc.
RAM (Random Access Memory) :
Can be read and written to anytime by the CPU.
It is volatile memory. That means contents of RAM are erased when the
power to the computer is turned off.
ROM (Read Only Memory) :
Can only be read by the CPU.
It is pre-loaded with data and software that never changes like computer's
initial start-up instructions.
It is non volatile memory. That means contents of ROM are NOT erased
when the power to the computer is turned off.
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I/O Unit
Input/output (I/O) units serve as a medium of
communication between the user and the computer.
Inputs are the signals or data received by the system, and
outputs are the signals or data sent from it.
Devices that provide input or output to the computer are
called peripherals.
For example:
keyboard, mouse (input)
display, printer(output)
hard disk (both input and output)
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System Bus
System bus is made up of three types of bus :
Address Bus
Data Bus
Control Bus
WRITE operation : When data is written onto memory
location or an I/O port by the processor
READ operation : When data is read from a selected
memory location or an I/O port by the processor
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Address Bus
Carries memory address of the instructions which are to
be executed
Information transfer takes place from the processor to
the memory or I/O elements.
That is why address bus is Unidirectional.
Size is generally16, 20, 24, 32 or 36 bits.
The number of locations that the CPU can address is
determined by the size of address bus
For example : microprocessor with 32 bit address bus can
address 232 memory locations
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Data Bus
It is used to carry data.
It is a bidirectional. That means data can flow in both to
or from the microprocessor.
The size of the data bus varies from one microprocessor
to another.
Usually matches the word length of the microprocessor
Size is generally 8,16, 32 or 64 bits
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Control Bus
It carries timing and control signals generated by the
CPU that are used to synchronize operation of the
individual microcomputer elements.
It can carry many different signals. For e.g.
I/O Read
I/O Write
Interrupt
Memory read
Memory write
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Fetch & Execute Cycles
The Fetch & Execute Cycle of the CPU is composed of three
basic operations :
Fetch
Decode
Execute
Fetch :
The instruction required from memory is stored or copied in
the instruction register.
Increments the program counter so that it points to the next
instruction.
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The CPU’s Special Purpose Registers
Program Counter : Holds address of next instruction
Instruction Register : Holds the instruction currently being executed
or decoded
Memory Address Register : Holds memory address from where data will
be fetched
Memory Data Register : Holds the data being transferred to the
memory or from the memory by the CPU
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Fetching an Instruction
Step 1
Program Counter or instruction pointer (IP) is a register that
holds the address of the next instruction to be fetch.
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Fetching an Instruction
Step 2
The address
moves over the
address bus to the
Memory Address
Register
Memory Address
Register
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Fetching an Instruction
Step 3
Memory location of
the instruction is
located
Memory Address
Register
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Fetching an Instruction
Step 4
Memory Data Register
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Fetching an Instruction
Step 5
Memory Data Register
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Food for thought
What do you mean by a 32 bit Data Bus ?
BIOS is a special program that orchestrates loading the
computer's operating system. Should it be stored in ROM
or RAM ?
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