Hardwired Control

A hardwired control is a mechanism of producing control signals using Finite State

Machines (FSM) appropriately. It is designed as a sequential logic circuit. The final
circuit is constructed by physically connecting the components such as gates, flip flops,
and drums. Hence, it is named a hardwired controller.
The figure shows a 2-bit sequence counter, which is used to develop control signals.
The output obtained from these signals is decoded to generate the required signals in
sequential order.

The hardwired control consists of a combinational circuit that outputs desired controls
for decoding and encoding functions. The instruction that is loaded in the IR is decoded
by the instruction decoder. If the IR is an 8-bit register, then the instruction decoder
generates 28 (256) lines.
Inputs to the encoder are given from the instruction step decoder, external inputs, and
condition codes. All these inputs are used and individual control signals are generated.
The end signal is generated after all the instructions get executed. Furthermore, it
results in the resetting of the control step counter, making it ready to generate the
control step for the next instruction.
The major goal of implementing the hardwired control is to minimize the cost of the
circuit and to achieve greater efficiency in the operation speed. Some of the methods
that have come up for designing the hardwired control logic are as follows −

 Sequence Counter Method − This is the most convenient method employed to

design the controller of moderate complexity.
 Delay Element Method − This method is dependent on the use of clocked delay
elements for generating the sequence of control signals.
 State Table Method − This method involves the traditional algorithmic approach
to design the Notes controller using the classical state table method.

microprogrammed control unit

A control unit whose binary control values are saved as words in memory is called a
microprogrammed control unit.
A controller results in the instructions to be implemented by constructing a definite
collection of signals at each system clock beat. Each of these output signals generates
one micro-operation including register transfer. Thus, the sets of control signals are
generated definite micro-operations that can be saved in the memory.
Each bit that forms the microinstruction is linked to one control signal. When the bit is
set, the control signal is active. When it is cleared the control signal turns inactive.
These microinstructions in a sequence can be saved in the internal ’control’ memory.
The control unit of a microprogram-controlled computer is a computer inside a
computer.
The following image shows the block diagram of a Microprogrammed Control
organization.

There are the following steps followed by the microprogrammed control are −
  It can execute any instruction. The CPU should divide it down into a set of
sequential operations. This set of operations are called microinstruction. The
sequential micro-operations need the control signals to execute.
 Control signals saved in the ROM are created to execute the instructions on the
data direction. These control signals can control the micro-operations concerned
with a microinstruction that is to be performed at any time step.
 The address of the microinstruction is executed next is generated.
 The previous 2 steps are copied until all the microinstructions associated with the
instruction in the set are executed.
The address that is supported to the control ROM originates from the micro counter
register. The micro counter received its inputs from a multiplexer that chooses the
output of an address ROM, a current address incrementer, and an address that is
saved in the next address field of the current microinstruction.

Advantages of Microprogrammed Control Unit

There are the following advantages of microprogrammed control are as follows −

 It can more systematic design of the control unit.

 It is simpler to debug and change.
 It can retain the underlying structure of the control function.
 It can make the design of the control unit much simpler. Hence, it is inexpensive
and less error-prone.
 It can orderly and systematic design process.
 It is used to control functions implemented in software and not hardware.
 It is more flexible.
 It is used to complex function is carried out easily.

Disadvantages of Microprogrammed Control Unit

There are the following disadvantages of microprogrammed control are as follows −

 Adaptability is obtained at more cost.

 It is slower than a hardwired control unit.