Microprocessors

Module 11
Fetch decode execute
cycle
1. Orient the students on the fetch-decode-execute cycle
of a microprocessor.
2. Orient the students on how addresses are decoded.
Von Neumann architecture means that programs
(together with data) are stored in main memory during
execution.

also known as the Stored Program Architecture or the

Fetch-Decode-Execute Architecture.
Example of a typical assembly language instruction:
ADD R0, LOCA
The given instruction requires the performance of
several steps:
1. The instruction must be transferred or fetched from
the MM into the CPU.
2. The operand at LOCA must be fetched and added to
the contents of R0.
3. The resultant sum is stored in register R0.
In order to fetch/read an instruction or data from main
memory:
1. The CPU first sends the address of the memory
location to be read.
2. The CPU then issues or sends the read signal to the
memory.
3. The word is then read out of memory and is loaded
into a CPU internal register.
4. end operation
In order to store/write data into main memory:
1. The CPU first sends the address of the memory
location to be written.
2. The CPU sends the data or word to be written to
memory.
3. Then the CPU then sends the write signal.
4. end operation
Connection
s between
the
processor
and the
main
memory:
Connection
s between
the
processor
and the
main
memory:
The PC (Program Counter) contains the memory address
of the instruction to be executed. During execution, the
contents of the PC are updated to point to the next
instruction.

The MAR (Memory Address Register) holds the address

of the location to or from which data are to be
transferred.
The MDR (Memory Data Register) contains the data to be
written or read out of the addressed location.

The IR (Instruction Register) contains the instruction that

is being executed.
Operating Steps:
1. PC is set to point to the first instruction of the
program (the operating system loads the memory
address of the first instruction).
2. The contents of the PC are transferred to the MAR
(which are automatically transmitted to the MM) and a
Read signal is sent to the MM.
3. The addressed word is read out of MM and loaded into
the MDR.
4. The contents of MDR are transferred to the IR. The
instruction is ready to be decoded and executed.
5. During execution, the contents of the PC are
incremented or updated to point to the next instruction.
If operand or data needed by the instruction resides in
MM:
• 1. It will have to be fetched by sending its address to the MAR and initiating a
read cycle.
• 2. When the operand has been read from MM into the MDR, it may be
transferred from the MDR to the ALU
• If result is to be stored in MM:
• 1. The result is sent to the MDR.
• 2. The address of the location where the result is to be stored is sent to the
MAR and a write cycle is initiated.
S. Mathur(2016), Microprocessor and Microcontrollers,
PHI Learning and Private Limited
Taylor and Francis Group. Essentials of Computer
Architecture. CRC Press, Comer, D. (2017).
Jones and Bartlett Learning, Computer Organization And
Architecture (10th Ed.), Stallings, (2016)