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COMPUTER SCIENCE
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE

CHAPTER # 5
COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE:
Computer architecture means Structure of Computer. Computer
architecture describes a computer system by specifying its parts and their
relations.

BLOCK DIAGRAM OF A COMPUTER:

Every Computer contains five basic units
1) Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
2) Control Unit (CU)
3) Memory Unit
4) Input Unit
5) Output Unit

CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU):

 It is the main part of the computer.
 It is also called Processor.
 CPU is the brain of a computer.
 Transform raw data into useful information.
 CPU is responsible for all Processing.
 Each CPU has set of pins. Some pins accept input and some are for
output.
 Processor consists of two units
 Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)
 Control Unit (CU)

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU):

 ALU is the main part of processor.
 It is the part where actual processing takes place.
 It can perform Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division, Square
Roots (etc) and logic operations such as AND, OR (etc) on binary
numbers.
 ALU reads data from memory and after processing return back to
memory.

Control Unit (CU):

 It tells the computer that, “What specific sequence of operations it must
perform”.
 It also specifies timing of the instructions.

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 Its function is to Fetch, Decode and Execute instructions that are
stored in memory.
 It controls
 Memory Devices
 Arithmetic Logic Unit
 All Input/Output Devices

Main Memory:
 Memory or computer storage is an electronic file that is used to place
data until needed.
 Also called Primary memory or Internal memory.
 Memory is used to store data temporary or permanently.
 Data stored in memory can be used for required task.
 RAM and ROM are most commonly used as main memory.

RAM (Random Access Memory):

 Data will read randomly.
 Access time is same for any address.
 Data can Read/Write randomly.
 RAM is used for storage of active programs and data.
 It is a temporary memory.
 It is also called Volatile memory (it will lose all stored data if power is
turned off).
 It increases the processing speed of a computer.
 Also known as Primary memory.
 RAM is available in different sizes.
256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB (etc)
 Two types are
i. Static RAM
ii. Dynamic RAM

ROM (Read Only Memory):

 Data can read only.
 Instructions are written at the time of creation/manufacturing.
 Holds data or instructions permanently so it is also called permanent
memory.
 It is also called Non-Volatile memory (it will not lose stored data if
power is turned off).
 User can’t change it directly.
 Types are
 PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory)
 EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory)
 EEPROM (Electrical Erasable Programmable Read Only
Memory)

Input Unit:
 Input unit is used to communicate with computer.
 Input unit is used to feed Instructions/Commands in computer.

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 These devices are often called as “Peripherals”, because they are
separated physically from CPU.
 Input unit Reads data from user, Converts it to machine code (0 or 1)
and then Store it into main memory.
 Some common input devices are
 Mouse
 Keyboard
 Joystick
 Microphone
 Scanner (etc).

Output Unit:
 These are also peripheral devices that transfer data from main memory
to user.
 Output unit receives data from main memory in binary form and
converts it into user readable form.
 Some common output devices are
 Monitors
 Printers
 Plotters
 Speaker
 Fax Machine (etc).

BUSES:
 Buses are wires, which used to carry data from one location to other
inside the CPU.
 Three main buses are
 Data Bus
 Address Bus
 Control Bus

Data Bus:
 It is 8-bit bus.
 It is Bi-Directional bus.
 Data sent from Processor to Memory (Write operation) or from Memory
to Processor (Read operation).

Address Bus:
 It is 16-bit bus.
 It is Uni-Directional bus.
 It carries 16-bit address code from “Processor to Memory”, which is
accessing for a Read or Write operation.

Control Bus:
 It is grouping of timing and control signals of processor.
 It synchronizes the speed of processor with the other units of
computer.

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 Some control lines are output from Processor and some are input to
the processor.
 It has different sizes 8, 16, 32, 64 bits.

PORTS:
 Port is a hole or connection found on the front or back of
a computer that allows computers to access external devices such as
printers.
 Ports are combination of wires through which data travels.
 Some Common types of ports are
 Parallel Port
 Serial Port
 USB Port

Parallel Port:
 Connection of 8 or more wires through which data bits can flow at
once.
 It can handle large amount of data.

Serial Port:
 Data bits can flow one at a time.
 It can handle less data than Parallel port.

USB Ports:
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a high speed connection between computers
and I/O devices.

REGISTERS:
 Registers are very high-speed memory inside the CPU.
 Very small in size.
 Temporary storage for memory Addresses and Instructions during the
execution of the program.
 Read and execute the instructions.
 Processing speed depends upon the size of register.
 Some common registers are
 Instruction Register (IR)
 Data Address Register (DAR)
 Program Counter (PC)
 Accumulator(A) and Data Register (DR)

Instruction Register (IR):

An instruction register (IR) is the part of a CPU's control unit that stores the
address of the next instruction currently being executed or decoded.

Data Address Register (DAR):

DAR is also called Memory Address Register (MAR) is a register that store
the address of Read or Write operation from or to memory. In other words,
MAR holds the memory location of data that needs to be accessed.

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Program Counter (PC):

The program counter sometimes called the instruction address register is use
to control the sequence in which instructions are fetched from memory.

Accumulator (A) and Data Register (DR):

These two register holds current data that is being executed. After processing
the ALU return back the result to accumulator register. Accumulator register
perform write operation (sent result back to memory).

SYSTEM SOFTWARE:
Three types of system software are
 Operating Systems
 Operating Environment
 Utilities

Operating Systems:
Main tasks of operating system are
 Disk Operations (Storing Programs and data on disk).
 Network Operations (Sharing of Hardware and Software Resources).
 Multi-tasking (Many tasks can be handle at same time).
 Multi-user (Many people can use computer at same time).

Operating Environment:
 Enable user to communicate with computer.
 Two common types are
 Command-Line Interfaces
 Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)

Command Line Interfaces:

 Commands are used to perform a task.
 Can perform only single task at a time.
 C:\> (Prompt)
 Every command must be written after Prompt.
 Not very common used today because it is very difficult to
remember commands.

Example:
MS-DOS

Graphical User Interface (GUI):

 Most Common used now a day.
 Apple Computers introduced first GUI in 1984.
 Advantages are
 User Friendly
 Multi-tasking
 Easy to learn and handle
 No need to Remember Commands
 A GUI have

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 Desktop
 Icons
 Taskbar and Start Button
 Menus
 Dialog Boxes
 Program Running in Windows
Example:
MS-Windows, Linux (Red Hat)

Utilities:
 Carrying out operating system tasks in a more efficient and easier way.
 Examples are
 Windows Explorer
 All Control Panel programs (Data and Time, Add/Remove
Programs, installing new Hardware, Display, Sound etc.)

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