Chapter 13
Input/Output (I/O)
Architecture
Outline
• Introduction
• External Devices
• I/O Module
• I/O Functions
• I/O Techniques
• I/O Channel
• External Interface
A Model I/O Configuration
External Devices
• Human readable
– Screen, printer, keyboard
• Machine readable
– Monitoring and control
• Communication
– Modem
– Network Interface Card (NIC)
Input/Output Problems
• Wide variety of devices
– Delivering different amounts of data
– At different speeds
– In different formats
• All slower than CPU and RAM
• Need I/O modules
I/O Module
• Interface to CPU and Memory
• Interface to one or more peripherals
External Device Block Diagram
Function of I/O modules
1) Control and Timing.
2) CPU Communicating.
3) Device Communication.
4) Data Buffering.
5) Error Detection.
1) Control and Timing
① CPU asks I/O module to check the
status of attached device.
② I/O module tells the status.
③ CPU requests for data transfer to I/O
module if device is ready.
④ I/O module gathers the data and
transfers to the CPU.
Chapter 12 — I/O Topics — 57
2) CPU Communication
① Command Decoding : Like read/write
seek etc.
② Data - Exchange between CPU and
Module.
③ Status reporting - to CPU, since
peripherals are slow.
④ Address recognition for the devices
connected to it.
3) Device Communication : This
may involves command, status
information and data transfer.
4) Data Buffering : Essential
function to overcome speed mismatch.
5) Error Detection : Like paper jam,
bad data etc.
Block Diagram of an I/O Module
I/O Module Decisions
• Hide or reveal device properties to CPU
• Support multiple or single device
• Control device functions or leave for CPU
• Also Operating System decisions
– e.g. Unix treats everything it can as a file
Input Output Techniques
• Programmed
• Interrupt driven
• Direct Memory Access (DMA)
Programmed I/O
• CPU has direct control over I/O
– Sensing status
– Read/write commands
– Transferring data
• CPU waits for I/O module to complete
operation
• Wastes CPU time
Programmed I/O - detail
1) CPU requests I/O operation
2) I/O module performs operation
3) I/O module sets status bits
4) CPU checks status bits periodically
5) I/O module does not inform CPU
directly
6) I/O module does not interrupt CPU
7) CPU may wait or come back later
Programmed I/O
I/O Commands
• CPU issues address
– Identifies module (& device if >1 per module)
• CPU issues command
– Control - telling module what to do
• e.g. spin up disk
– Test - check status
• e.g. power? Error?
– Read/Write
• Module transfers data via buffer from/to device
Programmed I/O
Addressing I/O Devices
• Under programmed I/O data transfer is very
like memory access (CPU viewpoint)
• Each device given unique identifier
• CPU commands contain identifier (address)
Programmed I/O
I/O Mapping
• Memory mapped I/O
– Devices and memory share an address space
– I/O looks just like memory read/write
– No special commands for I/O
• Large selection of memory access commands available
• Isolated I/O
– Separate address spaces
– Need I/O or memory select lines
– Special commands for I/O
• Limited set
Interrupt Driven I/O
• Overcomes CPU waiting
• No repeated CPU checking of device
• I/O module interrupts when ready
Interrupt Driven I/O
Basic Operation
• CPU issues read command
• I/O module gets data from
peripheral whilst CPU does
other work
• I/O module interrupts CPU
• CPU requests data
• I/O module transfers data
Programmed vs. Interrupt I/O
• Interrupt I/O is more efficient than
programmed I/O because it eliminates
needless waiting.
• However, interrupt I/O still consumes a lot of
processor time,
– every word of data that goes from memory to I/O
module or from I/O module to memory must pass
through the processor
Simple Interrupt
Processing
PSW - program status word
PC – Program counter
Interrupt Driven I/O
CPU Viewpoint
• Issue read command
• Do other work
• Check for interrupt at end of each instruction
cycle
• If interrupted:-
– Save context (registers)
– Process interrupt
• Fetch data & store
Programmed & Interrupt Driven I/O
Drawbacks
• I/O transfer rate is limited by the speed with
which the processor can test and service a
device.
• Processor is tied up in managing an I/O
transfer
– a number of instructions must be executed for
each I/O transfer
Direct Memory Access
• Interrupt driven and programmed I/O require
active CPU intervention
– Transfer rate is limited
– CPU is tied up
• DMA is the answer
Direct Memory Access
• I/O module and main memory exchange data
directly, without processor involvement
DMA Function
• Additional Module (hardware) on bus
• DMA controller takes over from CPU for I/O
Typical DMA Module Diagram
DMA Module
• Capable of mimicking the processor
– take over control of the system from the processor
• Transfer data to and from memory over the
system bus.
DMA Operation
• CPU tells DMA controller
– Read/Write
– Device address
– Starting address of memory block for data
– Amount of data to be transferred
• CPU carries on with other work
• DMA controller deals with transfer
• DMA controller sends interrupt when finished
DMA Transfer Cycle Stealing
• DMA controller takes over bus for a cycle
• Transfer of one word of data
• Not an interrupt
– CPU does not switch context
• CPU suspended just before it accesses bus
– i.e. before an operand or data fetch or a data write
• Slows down CPU but not as much as CPU
doing transfer
DMA Configurations
System bus
Single-bus, detached DMA
DMA Configurations
System bus
Single-bus, integrated DMA-I/O
DMA Configurations
I/O bus
Evolution of the I/O Function
1. CPU directly controls a peripheral device. This
is seen in simple microprocessor-controlled
devices
2. Use controller or I/O module
3. Implement interrupts
– CPU need not spend time waiting for an I/O
operation to be performed, thus increasing
efficiency
Evolution of the I/O Function
4. I/O module is given direct access to memory
via DMA.
– can move a block of data to or from memory
without involving the CPU, except at the beginning
and end of the transfer
Evolution of the I/O Function
5. I/O module is enhanced to become a
processor in its own right
– specialized instruction set tailored for I/O
6. I/O module has a local memory of its own
– a large set of I/O devices can be controlled, with
minimal CPU involvement
External Interface
• Interface to a peripheral from an I/O module
must be tailored to the nature and operation
of the peripheral
• Two types
– parallel interface
– serial interface
Parallel Interface
• Multiple lines connecting the I/O module and
the peripheral,
• Multiple bits are transferred simultaneously,
just as all of the bits of a word are transferred
simultaneously over the data bus.
• Use for higher-speed peripherals, such as tape
and disk
Parallel I/O
Serial Interface
• Only one line used to transmit data
• Bits must be transmitted one at a time
• Use for printers and terminals
• With a new generation of high-speed serial
interfaces, parallel interfaces are becoming
much less common
Serial I/O
Parallel & Serial Interface on a PC
Review Questions
1. List three broad classifications of external, or
peripheral, devices.
2. What are the major functions of an I/O
module?
3. List and briefly define three techniques for
performing I/O
4. Explain how programmed I/O is different from
interrupt-driven I/O.
5. How does direct memory access (DMA) work?
