Micro Programming

William Stallings
Computer Organization
and Architecture
Chapter 15
Micro-programmed Control
Micro-programmed Control
Use sequences of instructions (see earlier
notes) to control complex operations
Called micro-programming or firmware
Implementation (1)
All the control unit does is generate a set of
control signals
Each control signal is on or of
Represent each control signal by a bit
Have a control word for each micro-operation
Have a sequence of control words for each
machine code instruction
Add an address to specify the next microinstruction, depending on conditions
Implementation (2)
Todays large microprocessor
Many instructions and associated register-level
hardware
Many control points to be manipulated
This results in control memory that

Contains a large number of words
co-responding to the number of instructions to be
executed
Has a wide word width

Due to the large number of control points to be
manipulated
Micro-program Word Length

Based on 3 factors
Maximum number of simultaneous microoperations supported
The way control information is represented or
encoded
The way in which the next micro-instruction
address is specified
Micro-instruction Types
Each micro-instruction specifies single (or
few) micro-operations to be performed
(vertical micro-programming)
Each micro-instruction specifies many

diferent micro-operations to be performed
in parallel
(horizontal micro-programming)
Vertical Micro-programming
Width is narrow
n control signals encoded into log2 n bits
Limited ability to express parallelism
Considerable encoding of control
information requires external memory
word decoder to identify the exact control
line being manipulated
Vertical Micro-programming diag
Micro-instruction Address
Function Codes
Jump
Condition
Horizontal Micro-programming
Wide memory word
High degree of parallel operations possible
Little encoding of control information
Horizontal Micro-programmed diag
Internal CPU Control Signals
System Bus
Control Signals
Micro-instruction Address
Jump Condition
10
Compromise
Divide control signals into disjoint groups
Implement each group as separate field in
memory word
Supports reasonable levels of parallelism
without too much complexity
11
Control Memory
.
Jump to Indirect or Execute
.
Jump to Execute
.
Jump to Fetch
Jump to Op code routine
.
Jump to Fetch or Interrupt
.
Jump to Fetch or Interrupt
Fetch cycle routine

Indirect Cycle routine
Interrupt cycle routine
Execute cycle begin
AND routine
ADD routine
12
Control Unit
13
Control Unit Function

Sequence login unit issues read command
Word specified in control address register is read
into control bufer register
Control bufer register contents generates control
signals and next address information
Sequence login loads new address into control
bufer register based on next address information
from control bufer register and ALU flags
14
Advantages and Disadvantages

Simplifies design of control unit
Cheaper
Less error-prone
Slower
15
Tasks Done By
Microprogrammed Control Unit
Microinstruction sequencing
Microinstruction execution
Must consider both together
16
Design Considerations
Size of microinstructions
Address generation time
Determined by instruction register
Once per cycle, after instruction is fetched
Next sequential address

Common in most designed
Branches
Both conditional and unconditional
17
Sequencing Techniques
Based on current microinstruction,
condition flags, contents of IR, control
memory address must be generated
Based on format of address information
Two address fields
Single address field
Variable format
18
Address Generation
Explicit
Implicit
Two-field
Unconditional Branch
Conditional branch
control
Mapping
Addition
Residual
19
Execution
The cycle is the basic event
Each cycle is made up of two events
Fetch
Determined by generation of microinstruction
address
Execute
20
Execute
Efect is to generate control signals
Some control points internal to processor
Rest go to external control bus or other
interface
21
Control Unit Organization
22
Required Reading
Stallings chapter 15
23

Micro Programming

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Micro Programming

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Micro Programming

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

William Stallings

This results in control memory that

Has a wide word width

Micro-program Word Length

Each micro-instruction specifies many

Vertical Micro-programming diag

Horizontal Micro-programmed diag

Internal CPU Control Signals

Fetch cycle routine

Control Unit Function

Advantages and Disadvantages

Next sequential address

Control Unit Organization

You might also like