4/30/2014

What Is Computer Architecture?

Computer Architecture =
Instruction Set Architecture + Machine
Organization
Computer Architecture

Instruction Set Architecture Machine Organization

• ISA = attributes of the computing system as • Capabilities & performance characteristics of

seen by the programmer principal functional units (e.g., registers, ALU,
– Organization of programmable storage shifters, logic units)
– Data types & data structures • Ways in which these components are interconnected
– Instruction set • Information flow between components
– Instruction formats • Logic and means by which such information flow is
– Modes of addressing controlled
– Exception handling

What is “Computer” A computer consist of … ?

”A computer is a machine that performs 1) Central processing unit (CPU);

computational tasks using stored
instructions” 2) Random access memory (RAM);

3) Input-output processors (IOP).

• These devices communicate to each other

through a set of electric wires called bus.

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CPU consists of RAM stores

• Arithmetic logic unit (ALU): Executes arithmetic

(addition, multiplication,...) and logical (AND, OR,...)
operations.
• Program: A sequence of instructions to
be executed by the computer
• Control unit: Generates a sequence of control signals (cf.
traffic signal) telling the ALU how to operate; reads and
executes microprograms stored in a read only memory
(ROM). • Data
• Registers: Fast, small memory for temporary storage
during mathematical operations.

History of Computers
Moore’s Law

• The world’s first general-

purpose electronic In 1965, Gordon Moore predicted that the number of
computer was ENIAC built transistors per integrated circuit would double every 18
by Eckert and Mauchly at the months. This prediction, called "Moore's Law,"
University of Pennsylvania
continues to hold true today. The table below shows the
during World War II.
However, rewiring this number of transistors in several microprocessors
computer to perform a new introduced since 1971.
task requires
ENIAC built by Eckert and Mauchly at
days of work by a number of the University of Pennsylvania
operators. during World War II

Moore’s Law Still Holds Digital Systems - Analog vs. Digital

1011
1010 2G 4G
512M 1G
109 Memory 256M
Transistors Per Die

Microprocessor 128M Itanium® 0000000000000000

108 64M
Pentium® 4 0111111100000111
16M
107 4M
®
Pentium III 1000100011111000
1M Pentium® II 1011011010001011
106 256K Pentium®
i486™
64K (a) Analog form (b) Sampled analog form (c) Digital form
105 i386™
4
4K 16K 80286
10 8080 Magnetic tape contaning analog and digital forms of a signal.
1K
103 8086
4004
102
Analog vs. Digital: Continuous vs. discrete.
101
100
’60 ’65 ’70 ’75 ’80 ’85 ’90 ’95 ’00 ’05 ’10
Results: Digital computers replaced analog
computers
Source: Intel

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Digital Advantages Binary System

• More flexible (easy to program), faster, more • Digital computers use the binary number system.
precise.  Binary number system: Has two digits: 0 and 1.

• Storage devices are easier to implement. • Reasons to choose the binary system:
• Built-in error detection and correction. 1. Simplicity: A computer is an “idiot” which blindly follows
mechanical rules; we cannot assume any prior knowledge on
• Easier to minimize. his part.

2. Universality: In addition to arithmetic operations, a

computer which speaks a binary language can perform any
tasks that are expressed using the formal logic.

Boolean algebra Boolean or logic operations

Since the need is great for manipulating the relations between

the functions that contain the binary or logic expression, 1. OR. This is written + (e.g. X+Y where X and Y are Boolean
Boolean algebra has been introduced. variables) and often called the logical sum. OR is called binary
operator.
The Boolean algebra is named in honor of a pioneering scientist 2. AND. Called logical product and written as a centered dot (like
named: George Boole. product in regular algebra). AND is called binary operator.
3. NOT. This is a unary operator (One argument), NOT(A) is written
A Boolean value is a 1 or a 0. A with a bar over it or use ' instead of a bar as it is easier to type.
A Boolean variable takes on Boolean values. 4. Exclusive OR (XOR).
A Boolean function takes in Boolean variables and produces
Boolean values. Written as + with circle around it . It is also a binary operator.
True if exactly one input is true (i.e. true XOR true = false).

Truth Tables Important identities of Boolean ALGEBRA

INPU AND INPU OR INPU XOR

Identity:
A.B A+B AB
•A+0 = 0+A = A
+ for OR
•A.1 = 1.A = A
___ . for AND
A B A.B A B A B

0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Inverse:
0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1

1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1
•A+A' = A'+A = 1
1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 •A.A' = A'.A = 0
•(using ' for not)

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Important identities of Boolean ALGEBRA Important identities of Boolean ALGEBRA

• Associative: • Distributive:
– A+(B+C) = (A+B)+C
– A(B+C)=AB+AC Similar to math.
– A.(B.C)=(A.B).C
– A+(BC)=(A+B)(A+C) Contradictory to
• Due to associative law we can write A.B.C math.
since either order of evaluation gives the
same answer. • How does one prove these laws??
– Simple (but long) write the Truth Tables for
• Often elide the . so the product associative each and see that the outputs are the
law is A(BC)=(AB)C
same.

Important identities of Boolean ALGEBRA