MICROPROCESSOR

L.S.K. WEDAGEDARA
PGIS/SC/M.SC/CSC/10/48
OUTLINE

 What is a Microprocessor?
 Microprocessor Generations
 Moore’s Law
 Structure of a Microprocessor
 Basic steps to Execute an instruction
What is a Microprocessor?

 A microprocessor or processor is the heart of

the computer and is a complex logic element
that performs arithmetic, logic and control
operations. Microprocessor is the brain of the
computer.
Microprocessor Generations

 First generation: 1971-78

 Second Generation: 1979-85
 Third Generation: 1985-89
 Fourth Generation: 1990-
In the beginning (8-bit) Intel 4004
 First general-purpose,
single-chip microprocessor
 Shipped in 1971
 8-bit architecture, 4-bit
implementation
 2,300 transistors
 Performance < 0.1 MIPS
(Million Instructions Per Sec)
 8008: 8-bit implementation in
1972
 3,500 transistors
 First microprocessor-based
computer (Micral)
 Targeted at laboratory
instrumentation
 Mostly sold in Europe
1st Generation (16-bit) Intel 8086
 Introduced in 1978
 Performance < 0.5 MIPS
 New 16-bit architecture
 29,000 transistors
 Includes memory
protection, support for
Floating Point
coprocessor
 In 1981, IBM introduces
PC
 Based on 8088--8-bit bus
version of 8086
 2nd Generation (32-bit)
 Major architectural step in
microprocessors:
 First 32-bit architecture
 initial 16-bit implementation
 First flat 32-bit address
 Support for paging
 General-purpose register
architecture
 First implementation in 1979
 68,000 transistors
 < 1 MIPS (Million
Instructions Per Second)
 Used in
 Apple Mac
 Sun , Silicon Graphics, &
Apollo workstations
3rd Generation: MIPS R2000
 Several firsts:
 First (commercial) RISC
microprocessor
 First microprocessor to
provide integrated support
for instruction & data
cache
 First pipelined
microprocessor (sustains
1 instruction/clock)
 Implemented in 1985
 125,000 transistors
 5-8 MIPS (Million
Instructions per Second)
4th Generation (64 bit) MIPS R4000

 First 64-bit architecture

 Integrated caches
 On-chip

 Support for off-chip,

secondary cache
 Integrated floating point
 Implemented in 1991:
 Deep pipeline

 1.4M transistors

 Initially 100MHz

 > 50 MIPS

 Intel translates 80x86/

Pentium X instructions
into RISC internally
 Moore’s Law

 In 1965, one of the founders of Intel – Gordon

Moore – predicted that the number of transistor
on an IC (and therefore the capability of
microprocessors) will double every year. Later
he modified it to 18-months
Evolution of Intel Microprocessors
4004 8008 8080 8086 286 386 486 Pentium Pentium 2 Pentium 3 Pentium 4

 
100,000,000

10,000,000

1,000,000

100,000
                                                                                                                                                                

10,000
                    
1,000
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Structure of a Microprocessor
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
 Performs arithmetic and logic operations
 Instruction decoder
 Translates the programming instruction into an address
where microcode resides for executing the instruction
 Program Counter (PC)
 Control the sequence in which the instructions in a program
are performed (points to the next information)
 Control unit (CU)
 Synchronizes the processing of instructions
 Accumulator
 Performs a dual function– hold 1 operand, after operation
hold the result
 Data Register
 Temporary storage for Data traveling in the Data Bus
Basic steps to Execute an instruction

Microprocessors execute programs by

repeatedly cycling through three basic
steps:
1. Fetch
2. Decode
3. Execute
Fetch Stage
 Get Instruction From Memory
 Store In Instruction Register

FETCH DECODE EXECUTE

Instruction #1
Decode Stage
 Determine Instruction Type
 Get Necessary Data
 Setup ALU

FETCH DECODE EXECUTE

Instruction #2 Instruction #1
Execute Stage
 Perform Required Operation
 Store Result In Result Register

FETCH DECODE EXECUTE

Instruction #3 Instruction #2 Instruction #1

Thank You