ADDRESSING
MODES
Addressing modes
◻ Processor allows programmer to refer data stored in the memory or I/O device in different
ways.
◻ The different ways that a processor can access data are referred as addressing modes.
◻ An addressing mode specifies how to calculate the effective of an operand by using elements
of effective information held in registers and/or constants contained within a machine
instruction.
◻ Addressing Modes are an instruction set used for communicating with the central processing
unit (CPU) for performing any specific task.
Addressing modes
◻ Addressing modes refers to the way in which the operand of an instruction is specified.
◻ The addressing mode specifies a rule for interpreting or modifying the address field of the
instruction before the operand is actually executed.
◻ An address computed by the processor when executing a memory access or branch
instruction or when fetching the next sequential instruction is known as Effective
Address.
◻ An effective address can be made from 3 elements: the base, index and displacement.
Need for addressing modes
◻ To give the programming versatility to the user.
◻ To reduce the number of bits in addressing field of
instruction.
Types of addressing modes
◻
◻ Immediate
Relative
◻ Absolute or direct ◻ Base
register
◻ Register ◻ Index
◻ Indirect ◻ Auto-increment
◻ Register indirect ◻ Auto-decrement
◻
◻ Displacement
Stack
Immediate addressing mode
◻ Operand is part of instruction.
◻ Operand = operand field.
◻ It is used for constants.
◻ No memory reference to fetch
data
◻ Fast
◻ Limited range
Direct addressing mode
◻ The address field contains the effective address of the
operand.
◻ Effective address = Address field
◻ Single memory reference to access data.
◻ No additional calculations to find the effective address
of the operand.
Register addressing mode
◻ The operand is the contents of a processor register; the name
(address) of the register is given in the instruction.
◻ EA = R
◻ Advantages:
□ Only a small address field is needed – Shorter
instructions
□ No memory access – Fast execution is possible
Indirect addressing mode
◻ In this mode address field of instruction contains the address of effective
address.
◻ Here two references are required.
■ 1st reference to get effective address.
■ 2nd reference to access the data.
◻ 2 types of indirect addressing
■ Register indirect
■ Memory indirect
Memory Indirect addressing mode
◻ The effective address of the operand is the contents of the memory
location whose address appears in the instruction.
◻ Memory cell pointed to by address field contains the address of
(pointer to) the operand.
◻ EA = (A) —Look in A, find address (A) and look there for operand
◻ Advantage: Large address space —2n where n = word length
◻ Disadvantage: Multiple memory accesses to find operand slower
Register Indirect addressing mode
◻ The effective address of the operand is the contents of a
register whose address appears in the instruction.
◻ EA = (R)
◻ Operand is in memory cell pointed to by contents of
register R
Displacement addressing mode
◻ In this the contents of the indexed register is added to the
Address part of the instruction, to obtain the effective address
of operand.
◻ EA = A + (R)
◻ In this the address field holds two values, A(which is the base
value) and R(that holds the displacement)
◻ Use direct and register indirect
Relative addressing mode
◻ For relative addressing, also called PC-relative addressing, the implicitly referenced register is the
program counter (PC).
◻ That is, the next instruction address is added to the address field to produce the EA.
◻ R = PC(Program Counter)
◻ EA = A + (PC)
◻ Current instruction address is added to the address field to produce the EA
■ address field is treated as a twos complement number for this operation
■ Effective address is a displacement relative to the address of the instruction
Base Register addressing mode
◻ It’s a generalized relative addressing, where other registers can play the role of
PC
◻ This can be defined as EA = A + (R)
◻ where A is displacement and R holds pointer to base address.
Indexed addressing mode
◻ It’s a version of displacement addressing.
◻ The address field references a main memory address, and the referenced register
contains a positive displacement from that address.
◻ Opposite of base-register addressing
◻ A = base
◻ (R) = displacement
◻ EA = A + (R), but roles are reversed!
Auto-increment addressing mode
◻ Effective address of the operand is the contents of a register specified in the instruction.
◻ After accessingthe operand, the contents of this register
are automatically incremented to point to the next consecutive memory location.
◻ Add R1, (R2)+ // OR
◻ R1 = R1 +M[R2]
◻ R2 = R2 + d
Auto-decrement addressing mode
◻ Effective address of the operand is the contents of a register specified in the instruction.
◻ Before accessingthe operand, the contents of this register
are automatically decremented to point to the previous consecutive memory
location.
◻ Add R1,-(R2) //OR
◻ R2 = R2-d
◻ R1 = R1 + M[R2]
Stack addressing mode
◻ Operand is (implicitly) on top of the stack
◻ E.g. ADD
◻ Pop top two items from stack, Add them,
Push result on top of stack
Examples
Examples
Examples
Examples
Problems
◻ Find the effective memory
address
■ Add r2, 200(r1)
■ Add r2, (r1)
■ Add r2, @(r1)
Problems
◻ Find the effective memory address
□ Add r2, 200(r1)
■ r2 = r2 + Mem[300]
□ Add r2, (r1)
■ r2 = r2 + Mem[100]
□ Add r2, @(r1)
■ r2 = r2 + Mem[400]
Summary
Addressing modes
2 marks
□What is the need for indirect addressing mode?
□What is register indirect addressing mode?
8 mark / 13 mark
□What is the need for addressing modes in a computer? Explain in detail about different addressing modes.
Part C
□Examine the following sequence of instructions and identify the addressing modes used and the operation
done in every instruction
a. Move (R5)+, R0 b. Add(R5)+, R0
c. Move R0, (R5) d. Move 16(R5),R3
e. Add #40, R5
