WORKING OF A MICROPROCESSOR

WORKING OF A MICROPROCESSOR

Working of a Microprocessor

Introduction

Microprocessor is a programmable, multi-function, clock driver, registered-based electronic machines. This memory storage device reads binary instructions, receives binary data as input and process data as per these instructions, and generates the results as output.

Discussion

History

A microprocessor is a chip which is a complete computation engine. It is also called CPU. The first ever microprocessor to be created was the Intel 4004, that was brought forward in 1971. This chip was not that much strong in terms of functionality - as all it could do was addition and subtraction, one can do four bits at a time. But it was surprising that every detail was present in a single chip. Before this microprocessor, engineers built computers either from collections of chips or from discrete components. The 4004 powered one of the first portable electronic calculators (Manning, Peter, 2003).

Working of a Microprocessor

In order to understand the working of a microprocessor, it would be useful to learn and study about the logic that is used to generate it. Assembly language, the microprocessor's native language, can also be understood during this process and many such processes and techniques that the engineers can utilize to enhance the processor's speed (Roads, Curtis, 2005).

A microprocessor carries out a set of machine instructions for the processor that guide what function it has to perform. A microprocessor performs three basic functions that are based on the instructions:

Mathematical operations like division, subtraction, multiplication and addition can be carried out by a microprocessor using its ALU (Arithmetic/Logic Unit).

Data can be shifted by a microprocessor from one memory location to the other.

Decision making is also done by a micro processor for certain processes.

Microprocessor can perform various functions but the above mentioned three functions are its basic activities. The ...