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Hardwired Control Unit

The control unit directs the flow of data and instructions in the CPU. A hardwired control unit uses fixed logic gates and circuits to execute instructions by fetching, decoding, and generating control signals for execution at the right time. The control signals depend on factors like the step counter, instruction register contents, branch results, and interrupts. The hardwired design executes instructions through predetermined wiring but cannot easily be modified for complex instructions.

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3K views2 pages

Hardwired Control Unit

The control unit directs the flow of data and instructions in the CPU. A hardwired control unit uses fixed logic gates and circuits to execute instructions by fetching, decoding, and generating control signals for execution at the right time. The control signals depend on factors like the step counter, instruction register contents, branch results, and interrupts. The hardwired design executes instructions through predetermined wiring but cannot easily be modified for complex instructions.

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cafeinternet2004
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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In computer architecture, the control unit is responsible for directing the flow of data and instructions within the

CPU.

There are two main approaches to implementing a control unit: hardwired and micro-programmed.

Hardwired Control Unit


A hardwired control unit is a control unit that uses a fixed set of logic gates and circuits to execute instructions.

The hardwired control unit fetches the instructions, decodes them and generates the corresponding control signals that make
the processor’s hardware take appropriate actions in the correct sequence as well as at the right time for the execution of the
fetched instruction.

instruction cycle which involves a sequence of steps such as instruction fetch, instruction decode, operand fetch, instruction
execution and operand store.Now each step requires one clock cycle. And to track the progress of instruction execution a step
counter is implemented. Depending on the instruction fetched several actions are taken for its successful execution.

Consider if there is a branch instruction, action taken by the processor depending upon the result of computation or comparison
operation. If the interrupt occurred between the executions of instruction then the processor would perform another set of
actions. So, this is how the generation of control signals is influenced by the different kinds of instructions.

control signals in hardwired control unit depend upon the following factors:

1. Status of the step counter.


2. The content present in the instruction register.
3. The test result of the computation or comparison operation of the branch instruction.
4. External signals to the control unit such as interrupts.

The sequence of the operation carried out by this machine is determined by the wiring of the logic elements and hence named
“hardwired”.

Block Diagram of Hardwired Control Unit


the hardwired circuitry that is responsible for the generation of control signals.

Instruction Register: The instruction fetched from the main memory is placed in the instruction register and the instruction
remains there till its execution is completed. The instruction register outputs the opcode bits that is the machine code
representation of instructions mnemonics. These opcode bits are fed to the instruction decoder.

Instruction Decoder: The instruction decoder interprets the opcode and the addressing mode from the instruction register and
determines what actions have to be taken.
Step Counter: The step counter is used to track the progress in the execution of the instruction. The step counter indicates
which step among the five i.e. instruction fetch, decode, operand fetch, execute, operand store steps is being carried out.

Control Signal Generator: It is a combinational circuit that generates the control signals depending upon their input.

Clock: The clock implement in the control circuitry is such that it completes one clock cycle for each step of instruction
execution.

External Inputs: The external input component acknowledges the control circuitry about the external signal such as interrupts.

Conditional Signals: These components help the control unit in generating the control signals for branching instructions.

Initially, the instruction to be executed is fetched from the main memory and is a place in the instruction register which in turn
generates the opcode which is interpreted by the instruction decoder. After interpreting the opcode bits the instruction
decoder activates the corresponding INSi signal to the control circuitry.

With each clock cycle, one of the timing signals from T1 to T5 is activated indicating which step is from instruction fetch to
operand store is being carried out. Based on the timing signals from the step counter and signals from the instruction decoder
the control unit generates the control signals. The control signals are even influenced by the external signal and the conditional
signals.

Advantages
• The hardwired control unit generates the control signals faster as compared to the microprogrammed control unit.
• It is used while implementing the RISC processors which are popular for their speed.
• It works great for simple instructions.

Disadvantages
• The hardwired control unit cannot be modified easily as it would take efforts to make changes in the hardware
components.
• The hardwired control unit does not work well with complex instructions.
• It is costly to implement or modify the hardwired control unit.

The following are some of the ways for constructing hardwired control logic that have been proposed:

• Sequence Counter Method − It is the most practical way to design a somewhat complex controller.
• Delay Element Method – For creating the sequence of control signals, this method relies on the usage of timed delay
elements.
• State Table Method − The standard algorithmic approach to designing the Notes controller utilising the classical state
table method is used in this method.

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