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Comp. Org. > Test 2 - Sheet1 > Flashcards

Test 2 - Sheet1 Flashcards

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1
Q

Most computers follow the same general organization.

A

T

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2
Q

What approach does the Von Neumann architecture use?

A

Stored program.

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3
Q

List the four categories to explain whether a processor can be adapted to new computers.

A

Fixed logic, selectable logic, parameterized logic, programmable logic.

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4
Q

No single description adequately captures all the properties of processors.

A

T

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5
Q

What does a processor refer to for an architect?

A

A digital device that can perform a computation involving multiple steps.

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6
Q

A fixed logic processor offers the most flexibility

A

F

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7
Q

A large processor, such as a modern, general-purpose CPU, is so complex that no human can understand the entire processor as a single unit.

A

T

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8
Q

Name two different types of logic processors

A

Fixed logic, selectable logic, parameterized logic, programmable logic.

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9
Q

The programmable logic processor is the most flexible of all processors because it allows the sequence of steps to be changed each time the processor is invoked.

A

T

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10
Q

What is a parameterized logic processor?

A

It computes a predetermined function, the processor accepts a set of parameters that control the computation.

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11
Q

How do we describe a subpiece of a large, complex processor that acts independently and performs a computation?

A

With computational engines.

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12
Q

List two of the conceptual units?

A

Controller, Computational engine (ALU), local data storage, internal interconnection, external interface.

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13
Q

Most processors do not contain many engines.

A

T

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14
Q

What does the controller form?

A

The heart of a processor.

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15
Q

What is a controller?

A

It steps through the program and coordinates the actions of all other hardware units to perform the specified operations.

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16
Q

A computational engine handles all communication between the processor and the rest of the computer system.

A

F

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17
Q

The computational engine in a conventional processor is known as the arithmetic logic unit.

A

T

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18
Q

The external interface unit handles all communication between the processor and the rest of the computer system

A

T

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19
Q

What does a microcontroller test?

A

It tests sensors and sends signals to control devices.

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20
Q

Although some processors have the series of steps built into the hardware, most do.

A

F

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21
Q

An embedded system processor runs sophisticated electronic devices such as a DVD player or a television.

A

T

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22
Q

How are processors created?

A

Traditionally, from digital logic circuits.

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23
Q

Briefly describe how the fetch execute cycle works

A

The programmable processor executes the two basic functions repeatedly.

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24
Q

What underlying mechanism does a programmable processor use to access and perform the steps of a program?

A

fetch-execute

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25
The time required for the execute portion of a clock cycle depends on the instruction being executed.
T
26
Processor hardware is not designed to stop.
T
27
A soft power switch does not actually turn the power on or off
T
28
In theory as long as a processor offer a few basic operations, the processor has sufficient power to compute any computable function.
T
29
What does the set of available operations determine for a programmer?
Convenience rather than functionality.
30
What operation should a processor offer?
A wide variety of computational models provide equivalent computing power.
31
Instruction set is used to refer to the set of operations.
T
32
On each iteration of the fetch-execute cycle, the processor executes one instruction.
T
33
What is an instruction format?
The binary representation that the hardware uses for instructions.
34
What two key decision must an architect make when designing a programmable processor?
The set of operations the hardware recognizes. The representation that the hardware uses for each operation.
35
The opcode at the beginning of the general processor instructions on most processors determines how many operands will follow.
F
36
The operand refers to a value that is needed to perform an operation.
T
37
The term opcode refers to the exact operation to be performed.
T
38
What is an operand?
Operands refer to a value that is needed to perform an operation.
39
What is the Opcode?
The exact operation to be performed.
40
What is variable-length?
An instruction set that includes multiple instruction sizes.
41
What are the two basic operations a register uses?
Fetch and store.
42
What is a register?
A high-speed hardware device that has a fixed size and supports two basic operations.
43
Most high level languages implement programming with registers
???
44
Moving a value between memory and a register is relatively inexpensive.
F
45
The process of choosing which value the registers contain is known as register allocation.
T
46
Register banks have an interesting consequence for programmers: It may not be possible to permanently assign data value to registers.
T
47
Some architectures divide registers into multiple banks
T
48
A CISC processor usually includes many instructions and each instruction can perform an arbitrarily complex computation.
T
49
A RISC processor is constrained
T
50
A RISC Processor usually includes only the minimum number of instruction need to perform all operations required of the processor.
???
51
List the two broad categories that are used to classify processors?
Complex instruction set computer and Reduced instruction set computer
52
What is a multistage pipeline?
The results from one hardware unit are passed to the next hardware unit.
53
What does it mean for an instruction pipeline to be transparent?
The instruction set does not contain any explicit references to the pipeline.
54
Why are multistage processors faster?
All stages of a pipeline can operate in parallel.
55
What word describes the delay between a stall and the time an output stops in a pipeline?
A bubble.
56
The two ways a pipeline can stall are waiting for operands that that are not passed with the right timing or an operation that delays further processing is passed.
???
57
What is a no-op instruction?
Instruction that does absolutely nothing except occupy time.
58
What is forwarding?
Arranging the hardware to detect the dependency.
59
A program counter register is used to assist the register in the fetch-execute cycle.
T
60
When computer architects discuss instruction set, they divide the instructions into a few basic categories. Lest one of them?
Arithmetic instructions.
61
A relative branch instruction does not specify an exact memory address.
T
62
An absolute branch instruction is commonly known as what?
jump
63
A jsr subroutine operates like a branch instruction except it saves the value of the register before the branch occurs.
T
64
What is orthogonality?
Each instruction should perform a unique task without duplicating or overlapping the functionality of other instructions.
65
An architecture in which instructions have no operands is known as a 0-address architecture.
T
66
An architecture in which instructions have no operands is known as a multiple address architecture
F
67
How can an architecture allow instructions that do not specify any operands?
The operands are kept on a stack.
68
1-address design allows instructions to specify two values.
T
69
A one address design works well for arithmetic and logic but not for anything that specifies two or more values.
T
70
What is an accumulator?
A special register used for 1-address designs.
71
What type of architecture limits each instruction to a single operand
1-address
72
The third operand can specify a destination
T
73
What is the purpose of a 3-address architecture?
It provides a operand that can specify a destination.
74
Bottlenecking occurs within memory access and negatively affects overall performance
T
75
We said that conventional computers that store both programs and data in memory are known as Von Neumann computers.
T
76
What is a constant value that appears in an operand called?
immediate
77
What is an immediate value?
When a constant value appears in an operand.
78
What is the central weakness of a Von Neumann architecture?
Memory access can become a bottleneck.
79
An implicit operand encoding says that the opcode specifies the types of operands.
T
80
What are the two possibilities for specifying the interpretation of operands?
Implicit and explicit operand encoding.
81
What is the chief disadvantage of implicit encoding?
Multiple opcodes are needed for a given operation.
82
In explicit encoding, what are the two fields each operand is represented by?
One is the type of operand and the other specifies a value.
83
Register offset is when each operand contains three fields that specify a type, register, and an offset.
T
84
What are the three fields in a register-offset mechanism?
A type, a register, and an offset
85
There are several potential design goals in choice of operands. Name two
Ease of programming and fewer instructions.
86
Decreased hardware size is a potential design goal in choice of operands
T
87
Memory lookup uses much more memory than accessing a register.
T
88
No single form of operand style is optimal for all processors.
T
89
One extreme form of indirection permits indirection through a memory address
T
90
There is one single form of operand style that is optimal for all processors.
F
91
A processor usually contains a special register called an instruction register
T
92
The Instruction register is used to hold an instruction that is being decoded.
T
93
What is the name of the register that holds instructions that are being decoded?
instruction register.
94
Name two things a designer takes into account when creating a processor
The number and possible types of operands for each instruction.
95
In contrast to early designs, a modern computer system follows a decentralized approach.
T
96
Modern computer systems incorporate a system of protection.
T
97
What does generality mean for a CPU?
A CPU is designed to work with as many applications as possible.
98
Describe the concept of backward compatability
Allows customers to use the CPU to run old software.
99
How does a CPU achieve highest performance?
The functional units in a CPU must be replicated.
100
In most CPUs, the hardware uses a set of parameters to handle the complexity and control operation
T
101
List two of the features usually associated with a CPU mode of execution.
size of data and amount of privilege.
102
Some CPUs have a mode that provides backward compatibility with a previous model.
T
103
A CPU uses an execution mode to determine the current operational characteristics.
T
104
How does a CPU change modes?
Atuomatic and manual
105
The two ways a CPU can change modes are known as automatic and manual.
T
106
What is the idea of protection?
A CPU can detect attempts to permorm unauthorized operations.
107
A small processor is referred to as a
microcontroller
108
How many levels of protection does a CPU that runs applications need?
2
109
What is a fast but very small processor?
microcontroller
110
What is the code used to program a microprocessor?
???
111
A design that uses microcode is less prone to errors and can be updated faster than one that does not use microcode.
T
112
Name an advantage of microcode
less prone to errors.

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