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lecture 1-Introduction

The document outlines the course CS 8111: Introduction to System Computer Architecture, detailing its objectives, grading system, and fundamental concepts of computer organization and architecture. It explains the major components of a computer, including the input unit, memory unit, arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), output unit, and control unit, along with their functions and interconnections. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding hardware design issues and developing skills to research current literature in computer architecture.

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Nkundwe Mwakyangwe
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6 views

lecture 1-Introduction

The document outlines the course CS 8111: Introduction to System Computer Architecture, detailing its objectives, grading system, and fundamental concepts of computer organization and architecture. It explains the major components of a computer, including the input unit, memory unit, arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), output unit, and control unit, along with their functions and interconnections. The document emphasizes the importance of understanding hardware design issues and developing skills to research current literature in computer architecture.

Uploaded by

Nkundwe Mwakyangwe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CS 8111:Introduction to System Computer

Architecture

Facilitator: Daniel I. Bynite

1
Course Objective

Describe the general organization and architecture of computers.


Identify computers’ major components and study their functions.
Introduce hardware design issues of modern computer architectures.
Build the required skills to read and research the current literature in
computer architecture.

2
Grading System

Test #1 ( Week 6/7)

Test #2 ( Week 11/12)

and Assignments (40%)

University Examination (60%)

3
What is a computer?

 Simply put, a computer is a sophisticated electronic


calculating machine that:
 Accepts input information,
 Processes the information according to a list of
internally stored instructions and
 Produces the resulting output information.
 Functions performed by a computer are:
 Accepting information to be processed as input.
 Storing a list of instructions to process the
information.
 Processing the information according to the list of
instructions.
 Providing the results of the processing as output.
 What are the functional units of a computer?
4
Functional units of a computer
Input unit accepts Arithmetic and logic unit(ALU):
information: •Performs the desired
•Human operators, operations on the input
•Electromechanical devices information as determined
•Other computers by instructions in the memory

Memory
Arithmetic
Input
Instr1 & Logic
Instr2
Instr3
Data1
Output Data2 Control

I/O Processor
Stores
information: Control unit coordinates
Output unit sends various actions
•Instructions,
results of processing: •Input,
•To a monitor display, •Data
•Output
•To a printer •Processing

5
Information in a computer -- Instructions

 Instructions specify commands to:


 Transfer information within a computer (e.g., from memory
to ALU)
 Transfer of information between the computer and I/O
devices (e.g., from keyboard to computer, or computer to
printer)
 Perform arithmetic and logic operations (e.g., Add two
numbers, Perform a logical AND).
 A sequence of instructions to perform a task is called a
program, which is stored in the memory.
 Processor fetches instructions that make up a program
from the memory and performs the operations stated in
those instructions.
 What do the instructions operate upon?

6
Information in a computer -- Data

 Data are the “operands” upon which instructions


operate.
 Data could be:
 Numbers,
 Encoded characters.
 Data, in a broad sense means any digital information.
 Computers use data that is encoded as a string of
binary digits called bits.

7
Input unit
Binary information must be presented to a computer in a specific format. This
task is performed by the input unit:
- Interfaces with input devices.
- Accepts binary information from the input devices.
- Presents this binary information in a format expected by the computer.
- Transfers this information to the memory or processor.
Real world Computer

Memory

Keyboard
Audio input
Input Unit
……

Processor

8
Memory unit

 Memory unit stores instructions and data.


 Recall, data is represented as a series of bits.
 To store data, memory unit thus stores bits.
 Processor reads instructions and reads/writes data
from/to the memory during the execution of a program.
 In theory, instructions and data could be fetched one bit at
a time.
 In practice, a group of bits is fetched at a time.
 Group of bits stored or retrieved at a time is termed as
“word”
 Number of bits in a word is termed as the “word length” of
a computer.
 In order to read/write to and from memory, a processor
should know where to look:
 “Address” is associated with each word location.

9
Memory unit (contd..)
 Processor reads/writes to/from memory based on the
memory address:
 Access any word location in a short and fixed amount of
time based on the address.
 Random Access Memory (RAM) provides fixed access time
independent of the location of the word.
 Access time is known as “Memory Access Time”.
 Memory and processor have to “communicate” with
each other in order to read/write information.
 In order to reduce “communication time”, a small amount
of RAM (known as Cache) is tightly coupled with the
processor.
 Modern computers have three to four levels of RAM units with
different speeds and sizes:
 Fastest, smallest known as Cache
 Slowest, largest known as Main memory.

10
Memory unit (contd..)

 Primary storage of the computer consists of RAM units.


 Fastest, smallest unit is Cache.
 Slowest, largest unit is Main Memory.
 Primary storage is insufficient to store large amounts of
data and programs.
 Primary storage can be added, but it is expensive.
 Store large amounts of data on secondary storage
devices:
 Magnetic disks and tapes,
 Optical disks (CD-ROMS).
 Access to the data stored in secondary storage is slower,
but take advantage of the fact that some information may
be accessed infrequently.
 Cost of a memory unit depends on its access time,
lesser access time implies higher cost.
11
Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU)

 Operations are executed in the Arithmetic and Logic


Unit (ALU).
 Arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction.
 Logic operations such as comparison of numbers.
 In order to execute an instruction, operands need to be
brought into the ALU from the memory.
 Operands are stored in general purpose registers available
in the ALU.
 Access times of general purpose registers are faster than
the cache.
 Results of the operations are stored back in the memory
or retained in the processor for immediate use.

12
Output unit
•Computers represent information in a specific binary form. Output units:
- Interface with output devices.
- Accept processed results provided by the computer in specific binary form.
- Convert the information in binary form to a form understood by an
output device.

Computer Real world

Memory Printer
Graphics display
Speakers
……
Output Unit

Processor

13
Control unit

 Operation of a computer can be summarized as:


 Accepts information from the input units (Input unit).
 Stores the information (Memory).
 Processes the information (ALU).
 Provides processed results through the output units
(Output unit).
 Operations of Input unit, Memory, ALU and Output unit
are coordinated by Control unit.
 Instructions control “what” operations take place (e.g.
data transfer, processing).
 Control unit generates timing signals which determines
“when” a particular operation takes place.

14
How are the functional units connected?

•For a computer to achieve its operation, the functional units need to


communicate with each other.
•In order to communicate, they need to be connected.

Input Output Memory Processor

Bus

•Functional units may be connected by a group of parallel wires.


•The group of parallel wires is called a bus.
•Each wire in a bus can transfer one bit of information.
•The number of parallel wires in a bus is equal to the word length of
a computer

15
Organization of cache and main memory

Main Cache
memory memory Processor

Bus

Why is the access time of the cache memory lesser than the
access time of the main memory?

16
Thank you for Listening!

17

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