Overview of Computer Architecture

Basic computer design was developed by Von Neumann at Institute of Advanced Studies,
Princeton. Such a architecture called as Von Neumann Architecture. It is based on the following
concepts:

a. Instructions and data are stored in a read-write memory

b. Contents of the memory are addressable by location.
c. Processor fetches the instruction and executes in a sequential fashion.

Processor or CPU Memory

Input Output
Devices

Figure 1 : components of a computer

Main parts of the computer system:

Processor or CPU: Executes the instructions

Main Memory: Holds instructions and data

I/O Devices: for communication outside

What happens when you execute a program?

We work with multiple applications like word, browser, and media players etc. in the computer. It may be
these complex applications or a program written by you in C or Python, finally at the low end it has to be
executed by the hardware called processor.
Processor can’t understand either the language you use to write programs or handle complex instructions
you have written in the program. What it can understand is only the binary language i.e., 0 or 1 and
executes simple instructions like add, sub, mul and division.

Software is organized in a hierarchical fashion. On the top are the application programs, to facilitate
execution of these programs system software is there in the next layer. System software is nothing but
compiler and operating systems.

Compilers convert the program in high level language to machine understandable language i.e., binary.
Operating system allocates space in the memory, handles input and output operations, and schedules the
execution by the processor.

From High level language to language of hardware:

References:

J. L. Hennessy & D.A. Patterson, Computer Organization and Design Morgan Kaufman, 2011 (chapter
1.1 and 1.2)
Inside the processor:

References:

3.1 and 3.2 computer function - Computer Organization and Architecture William Stallings

Registers:

Refer 12.2 Register Organization - Computer Organization and Architecture William Stallings

Instruction cycle:
Fetch cycle:

Indirect cycle:
References:

12.3 Computer Organization and Architecture William Stallings

Instruction Set Architecture

Types of operations:

References:

10.4 Computer Organization and Architecture William Stallings

Instruction format and Addressing Modes:

Refer : chapter 11 Computer Organization and Architecture, william stallings