Microprocessor

• The microprocessor is an entire CPU built on a

single chip. To elaborate, it is a computer
processor which embodies the functions of a CPU
on a single IC or at most a few Integrated Circuits.
• Integrated Circuits are very complex electronic
circuits which consist of extremely tiny
components that are formed on a single, flat, thin
piece of material known as Semiconductor.
• In other words, microprocessor isan integrated
circuit that contains all the functions of a central
processing unit of a computer.
• A microprocessor is designed to perform
arithmetic and logic operations that make use of
small number-holding areas called registers.
• The microprocessor is an electronic device which
is attached to the main circuit board (motherboard)
of a microcomputer which serves as the brain of
the computer. It is linked with various peripheral
equipment such as main memory, input/output
devices and auxiliary storage devices, etc.
• Before microprocessors, computers had Small
Scale Integration (SSI) and Medium Scale
Integration (MSI) chips. Though 3 companies; Intel
Corporation, Garret Air Research and Texas
Instruments, all developed the microprocessors at
around the same time, Intel Corporation’s
microprocessor is considered to be the 1st one as
the Intel 4004 microprocessor. Conceived the idea
in 1968, this single chip was brought into reality in
November 1971 as the very 1st commercial
microprocessor.
Intel 4004 by Intel Corporation
• The Intel 4004 ("four-thousand-four") is a
4-bit central processing unit (CPU)
released by Intel Corporation, in 1971. It
was the first microprocessor as well as the
first general purpose programmable
microprocessor on the market.
Intel 8008 by Intel Corporation
• The very next year in 1972, Intel Corporation
again released a more advanced microprocessor
called Intel 8008 as the 1st 8-bit microprocessor.It
was an 8-bit CPU with an external 14-bit address
bus that could address 16 KB of memory.
• The 8008 had other advantages over the 4004:
• The processor supported of 16 KB of memory
(ROM and RAM combined).
• The size of internal CPU stack was 7 levels in
contrast to 3 level-stack for the i4004.
• The Intel 8008 could handle interrupts.
 COMPONENTSOF
MICROPROCESSOR
• A microprocessor is often referred to as
the CPU or Central Processing Unit. It is
considered to be the heart of a computer
as it controls all the functions of a
computer.
• It can be considered as an artificial brain.
• This system can control everything from
large automobiles to small devices, such
as mobile phones and calculators
• But, a microprocessor alone does not
have any meaning unless and until it is
attached to other components of a digital
computer. It consists of several sections.
• The Arithmetic/Logic Unit (ALU) performs
calculations and makes logical decisions;
the Control Unit deciphers programs;
digital information is carried by Buses
throughout the computer and the chip; the
registers store temporary information like a
scratch pad does and on-chip computation
is supported by local memory.
There are some more complex
microprocessors too, which contains some
extra sections like Cache Memory for the
storage of specialized memory and to speed
up access for external data storage devices.
Generally, though, it consists of 3 major
components. They are:
• ALU
• CU
• Register Array
• ALU (Arithmetic and Logic unit): This is
the area of the microprocessor where
various computing functions are performed
on data. The ALU performs arithmetic
operations such as addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division and logical
operations such as AND, OR and NOT
.The result of the operation is stored in the
registers called Accumulator. ALU also
performs an operations like increment,
decrement, shift and clear.
 Control Unit:
The control unit provides the necessary timing and control
signals to all the operation in the microcomputer. It is the one in
charge of informing all the ALU units of what operations are to
be performed on. Some of its features are:
• It receives, decodes, stores the results and manages the
execution of data that flows throughout the CPU.
• It controls the flow of data between the microprocessor and
memory and peripherals.
• It also directs the Arithmetic and Logic Unit.
• It generates the Control Output based on the input called
Operation Code (Opcode) which can also be called as an
Instruction.
• It commands and controls the Program Unit which
is responsible for giving away the data based on
the addresses.
• It supervises and controls the entire operation of a
computer.
• Based on the CPU, the functions that a Control
Unit performs can be varied.

Therefore, the ALU might be able to perform lots of

its functions at a time but based on the Control Unit,
it can perform only one operation at a time. It
controls the flow of data between the microprocessor
and memory and peripherals.
 Register Array
• Simply, it is a vital component of a computer
which serves as the storage location that is
inside the processor. This is the area of the
microprocessor which consists of various
registers.
• These registers are primarily used to store
data temporarily during the execution of a
program.
• It accepts, stores and transfers the data and
instructions that are used immediately.
• These registers are very small memory
locations which hold the data to be
processed.
• The instruction pointer is known as the
most important register that directs the
CPU to the next location from where it has
to receive data.
• The accumulator is another type of
register which stores the next values to be
processed by the CPU.
• The size of the register determines the
overall speed of the computer.
 FUNCTIONS OF
MICROPROCESSOR
• The microprocessor is considered to be the heart
and brain of a computer as it is responsible for the
whole performance from directing every function
within the computer.
• It can conduct any computation or operation
accurately at the earliest due to floating point
processors. With the incorporated effort of the
ALU, Control Unit and Registers, microprocessor
carries out the required instructions and duties
efficiently.
• There are mainly 2 important memories that are
responsible for any microprocessor to control and
function. They are:
 ROM (Read Only Memory):

• ROM is a program with a finite and fixed set

of bytes and instructions. Within it, it has a
small program called the Basic Input Output
System or BIOS.
• It is a program which tests the hardware of
the machine when it starts up.
• Then, it fetches a program called the boot
sector from another memory which executes
some instructions serially which helps in
utilizing the computer efficiently.
RAM (Random Access Memory):

• RAM is a program which consists of pre-

set number of bytes which can store a
limited amount of information.
• Its set of bytes does not last long and is
variable. On switched off, this memory is
completely wiped off from the computer.
Together, these 2 memories constitute microprocessor and
makes it work with efficiency. Without them, microprocessor
possibly cannot perform any of its function properly. Among
all the functions, some of them are given below in
summary:
• It obtains instruction from the main memory.
• Then, the instruction is decoded in order to determine
what action is to be done.
• Based on the instructions’ nature or requirement, data
and information are fetched from the main memory or
input / output module.
• With the help of logical and arithmetic calculation, the
instruction is then executed.
• Along with the execution of the instruction, it
also controls and supervises the input /
output devices.
• If requested action gets interrupted from I/O
devices, it suspends the current program's
execution and transfers to its control to an
interrupt handling program.
• Finally, the instruction’s results may need to
be transferred to memory or an I/O module,
throughout which the microprocessor keeps
performing its tasks.