DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name : K.Suguna
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Computer Engineering
Institute : GPT, Anantapur
Year/Semester : III - Semester
Subject : Computer Architecture
Subject Code : CM-303
Topic : I/O Organization
Duration : 100 mts
Sub Topic : Block Diagram of IOP and it’s working
Teaching Aids : ppt, Animations, drawings
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 Recap

In the last class, you have learnt about

• Priority Interrupt
• Polling
• Daisy chaining priority

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 Objective
On completion of this period, you would be
able to understand

• Block Diagram of computer with IOP

• Working of I/O processor

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 I/O Processing

• IOP – Input Output Process

• Instead of each interface communicating with

the CPU

• One or more external processors assigned to

communicate directly with I/O devices

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 I/O Processing
Contd..

• IOP has both direct memory access and

I/O communication capabilities

• IOP releases the CPU from the housekeeping

the chores involved in I/O transfer

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 I/O Processing
Contd..

• Processors handling serial communication with

remote terminal are called Data Communication
Processors (DCP)

• IOP is similar to CPU except its handles only I/O

processing

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 I/O Processing
Contd..

• Unlike DMA controller totally setup by the

CPU, IOP can fetch and executes its own
instructions

• Additionally IOP can perform other tasks

like arithmetic, logic, branching and code
translation

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Block Diagram of computer with I/O Processor

Central
processing unit
(CPU)

Memory bus Peripheral devices

Memory unit
PD PD PD PD

Input-output
Processor
I/O bus
(IOP)

Fig.1

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 Responsibilities of IOP

• Memory at the centre can communicate with

both processors via DMA

• CPU responsible for data processing and

computational tasks

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 Responsibilities of IOP
Contd..

• IOP transfers data between peripheral devices

and memory

• CPU is usually assigned the task of initiating

the I/O program, there after IOP operates
independently
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 Responsibilities of IOP
Contd..

• IOP take care of data format difference and

structure mapping between memory and
various I/O devices

• Communication between CPU and IOP is

similar to programmed I/O

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 Responsibilities of IOP
Contd..

• Communication between Memory and IOP is

done as DMA

• IOP can be independent or slave processors

depending on the sophistication of the system

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 Responsibilities of IOP
Contd..

• Instructions for IOP generally refers as

commands
• CPU informs the IOP where to find the

commands in memory when it is time to

execute the I/O program

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 CPU-IOP Communication

Send instruction Transfer status word

To test IOP path To memory location

If status OK… send

Access memory for
Start I/O instruction
IOP program
To IOP
CPU Operations

IOP Operations
Conduct I/O transfers
CPU continues with
Using DMA; prepare
Another program
Status report

I/O transfer completed;

Request IOP status
Interrupt CPU

Check status word Transfer status word

For correct transfer To memory location
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Continue Fig .2
 Quiz
2. IOP means
a. Interface out process
b. Input output processor
c. None of the above

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 Quiz
Contd..

1. IOP handles
a. input devices only
b. output devices only
c. Both I/O devices

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 Quiz
Contd..
1. IOP transfers data between
a. Peripheral devices and memory
b. CPU and memory
c. None of the above

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 Quiz
Contd..
4. Communication between CPU and IOP in
similar to
b) DMA
c) Programmed I/O
d) Interrupt I/O
e) AU

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 Quiz
Contd..
5. Communication between memory and IOP in
similar to
b) DMA
c) Programmed I/O
d) Interrupt I/O
e) All

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 Summary

We have discussed

• Block Diagram of computer with IOP

• Working of I/O processor

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 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Draw the block diagram of computer with I/O

processor and explain working

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