Scribd
Upload
104 views

Von-Neumann Architecture Vs Harvard Architecture: February 2019

This document compares the Von Neumann and Harvard computer architectures. The Von Neumann architecture uses a shared memory and bus for both data and instructions, which can create a performance bottleneck when the CPU needs to access both simultaneously. The Harvard architecture stores instructions and data in separate memory units and uses different buses, allowing independent and simultaneous access to eliminate this bottleneck. Modern computers often use a modified Harvard approach with separate address spaces but not physically separate memory.

Uploaded by

Mnsh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
104 views

Von-Neumann Architecture Vs Harvard Architecture: February 2019

This document compares the Von Neumann and Harvard computer architectures. The Von Neumann architecture uses a shared memory and bus for both data and instructions, which can create a performance bottleneck when the CPU needs to access both simultaneously. The Harvard architecture stores instructions and data in separate memory units and uses different buses, allowing independent and simultaneous access to eliminate this bottleneck. Modern computers often use a modified Harvard approach with separate address spaces but not physically separate memory.

Uploaded by

Mnsh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/331160423

Von-Neumann Architecture Vs Harvard Architecture

Presentation · February 2019

CITATIONS READS

0 12,154

1 author:

Abdullatif Baba
Türk Hava Kurumu Üniversitesi
102 PUBLICATIONS   64 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Modeling, identification, and control of 2 DoF robot arm as a prelude study to mimic insects locomotion View project

Sharing courses slides with students. View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Abdullatif Baba on 24 February 2019.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.


Computer Architecture
Von-Neumann vs Harvard

Mechatronics Engineering Department


Dr. Eng. Abdullatif BABA
2018-2019
Computer Architecture
Von-Neumann vs Harvard
Computer Architecture refers to the internal design of a computer with its CPU,

which includes:

• Arithmetic and logic unit,

• Control unit,
Input Output
device device
• Registers,

• Memory for data and instructions,

• Input/output interface and

• External storage functions.

Von-Neumann architecture and Harvard architecture


Computer Architecture
Von-Neumann vs Harvard
Von-Neumann architecture:
The same memory and bus are used to store both Data and Instructions
Outputs/wait
The main drawback:
CPU Bus Data
CPU is unable to access program memory and
&
data memory simultaneously. This case is called Instr.
the "bottleneck" that affects system performance.
Memory
The bottleneck

• If a Von-Neumann machine wants to perform an instruction (already fetched from the


memory) on some data in memory, it has to move the data across the bus into the CPU.

• When the computation is done, it needs to move outputs of the computation to memory
across the same bus; this operation will be completed if the bus is not used by another
operation to fetch another instruction or data from the shared memory; otherwise the
outputs of the computation has to wait.
Computer Architecture
Von-Neumann vs Harvard
Harvard architecture:
The Harvard architecture stores machine instructions and data in separate memory units using
different buses.

The main advantage: CPU Bus Data


Computers designed with the Harvard Mem. Unit

Bus
architecture are able to run a program and access
data independently, and therefore simultaneously.
Inst.
Mem. Unit

Harvard architecture is more complicated but separate pipelines remove the bottleneck
that Von-Neumann creates.
Computer Architecture
Von-Neumann vs Harvard

Modified Harvard Architecture


The majority of modern computers have no CPU Bus Data
physical separation between the memory spaces
Instr.
used by both data and instructions, therefore
Memory
could be described technically as Von-Neumann.

But as they have two separate address spaces, different buses and special
instructions that keep data from being mistaken for code, this architecture is called
"Modified Harvard Architecture".
Ex. some initial data values or constants can be accessed by the running program
directly from instruction memory without taking up space in data memory.

View publication stats

You might also like