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Control Unit Organization

The document discusses control unit organization and design. It describes the main functions of the control unit as directing operations during program execution by generating control signals to various components. There are two main designs for control units - hardwired and microprogrammed. A hardwired control unit uses hardware like gates and flip-flops to implement control logic, making it faster but more difficult to update. A microprogrammed control unit stores control words in memory, making it easier to change but slower.

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Aniket Srivastava
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67 views5 pages

Control Unit Organization

The document discusses control unit organization and design. It describes the main functions of the control unit as directing operations during program execution by generating control signals to various components. There are two main designs for control units - hardwired and microprogrammed. A hardwired control unit uses hardware like gates and flip-flops to implement control logic, making it faster but more difficult to update. A microprogrammed control unit stores control words in memory, making it easier to change but slower.

Uploaded by

Aniket Srivastava
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Control Unit Organization

Control Unit Organization:


The Control Unit is the unit in the CPU, which controls the various components like input
& output devices, logic unit and memory.

Functions of the control unit

CU's main function is to direct the operations during the execution of a program by the
processor.

The control unit converts the input into control signals sent to different components and
registers to execute its functioning.

The Control Unit cannot store or process the data, it just directs the data signals.

Design of Control Unit

Control unit can be designed in two possible best ways.

● Hardwired Control Unit


● Micro-programmed Control Unit

Hardwired Control Unit

As the name defines it is process of designing the control unit by using the hardware
(circuits). The control logic is implemented with Gates, flip-flops, decoders, and other
digital circuits in this type.

“Control logic is the unit which generates the control signals which are implemented
using the hardware that’s why it is called a hardwired control unit.”
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Advantage: Hardware is always faster. Due to this, it can be optimized to produce a


faster mode of operation. It generates the fastest control signal.

Disadvantage:

a) If CPU design is very complicated or very much modern, hardwired control is difficult
to implement

b) Rearranging the wires among various components is difficult.

c) In the hardwired control unit, updating the control logic is difficult.

Working of a hardwired control unit

Step 1) A CPU can execute some 16 different instructions (Ins. 1, Ins. 2, Ins. 3, Ins.
4,…….Ins. 16).

Step 2) CPU executes each instruction distinctly, each instruction is executed in a


different method to others, and it is done by executing small-small micro-operations for
each instruction.

Assume, CPU executes instruction 1 with 8 distinct micro-operation. So to execute Ins. 1


completely, 8 cycles are required by the CPU.

Ins. 1=> opr 1, opr 2, opr 3, opr 4 … opr 8

And assume for the second instruction, 6 cycles are required.


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Ins. 2=> opr 1, opr 2, opr 3, opr 4, opr 5, opr 6

So same, for completing one instruction, the different or same number of the cycle are
required by the CPU.

Step 3) For performing one micro-operation, the CPU control unit needs to generate a
set of control signals called control words.

opr 1= 010010001001(1 C.W)

opr 2= 1 C.W

opr 3= C.W

opr 4= 1 C.W

opr 8=1 C.W

For each micro-operation control word will be different, but some signals are enabled in
each control word, and some are disabled, and the control unit decides all these signals.

Step 4) One instruction is executed with multiple micro-operation cycles, which are
controlled by the control unit. The Control unit decides at what time which instruction is
enabled or disabled.

One who designed the CU only knows which signal is to be enabled or disabled. After
the execution of 1st instruction completely, the timing generator is reset for the second
instruction to complete the second instruction.

Micro- Programmed Control Unit

In this control unit, logic is implemented with micro-programs. That's why it is called a
micro-programmed control unit. It’s a midway between hardware and software.

“All possible control words are stored in a memory as a part of the control unit; the
specific control word is fetched from memory, then its signals are sent to different
components.”
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In this type, the control word is used to store the control signals encoded during the
execution of a program and stored in the memory. Memory can be easily changed; we
can change the value (0 or 1) in the control word (enabling and disabling signals). We do
not need to change the whole control word format or we can easily update the control
logic.

Types of the Micro-Programmed control unit

There are two types of micro-programmed control units on the basis of control words,
which are saved in the control memory.

Horizontal Micro-Programmed control unit

1. It supports longer control words.


2. It allows a higher degree of parallelism. If degree is n, then n Control Signals
are enabled at a time.
3. No additional hardware is required.
4. It is faster than a Vertical micro-programmed control unit.
5. It is less flexible than a Vertical micro-programmed control unit.
6. A horizontal microprogrammed control unit uses horizontal microinstruction,
where every bit in the control field attaches to a control line.
7. The horizontal micro-programmed control unit makes less use of ROM
encoding than the vertical micro-programmed control unit.

Vertical Micro-Programmed control unit

1. It supports shorter control word.


2. It allows a low degree of parallelism i.e., the degree of parallelism is either 0
or 1.
3. Additional hardware in the form of decoders is required to generate control
signals.
4. it is slower than a Horizontal micro-programmed control unit.
5. It is more flexible than a Horizontal micro-programmed control unit.
6. A vertical microprogrammed control unit uses vertical microinstruction, where
a code is used for each action to be performed and the decoder translates this
code into individual control signals.
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7. The vertical micro-programmed control unit makes more use of ROM


encoding to reduce the length of the control word.

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