ECS404U-2017-Coursework 2
Zohayb Shaikh
Q1. (a) Define the concepts of central processing unit (cpu) and microprocessor. Use the concepts of function and implementation to distinguish between them and give examples of current or historical devices that illustrate the difference (an example of a microprocessor that is not the cpu of a computer and an example of a cpu that is not a microprocessor).
A CPU is a computer component which performs the basic arithmetical (such as addition and subtraction), logical, and input/output operations of a computer system. The CPU understands a fixed set of basic instructions, called its instruction set. A single cpu divided into a control unit, arithmetic/logic unit and memory unit. The control unit of a CPU reads and interprets instructions from memory and transforms them into a series of signals to activate other parts of the computer.
Intel started producing
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Q2. Explain what an interrupt is in connection with computer hardware. Explain the problem that led to hardware designers introducing interrupts, and give a brief account of how interrupts solve this problem.
Interrupt is an extra component that stops its normal operation, and passes control to another program. An interrupt is used by the CPU when there is something processing on the bus and saves the state of the program at run time and runs a “deal with incoming data program”. The problem that led to hardware designers introducing interrupts was to allow a computer to run more than one program at a given time.
Interrupts allow programs to run simultaneously by storing the contents of the cpu registers being used. This is the same for each process and this can be done very quickly. When the interrupt has been handled, the registers can be restored and the program allowed to resume
Interference and facilitation are two important aspects of automatic processes. Interference refers to the range to which one process encumbers performance of another, whereas facilitation indicates the extent to which one process assists performance of another.
1.) Based on your own knowledge of some of the application types discussed in class(lecture 1), explain, with examples, why different application types require specialized software engineering techniques to support their design and development.
It is the operating system’s job to ensure that enough of the processor’s time have been allocated for each application or process that the user is trying to execute. Notably important for multitasking and for a smooth general usage. When the operating system wants to execute a program, it first has to locate the files in the storage drive, load the information towards the main memory and then instruct the central processing unit to begin executing the application from the beginning. • Memory storage and management. The operating system has to ensure that for each process there is enough memory to permit proper functioning, as well as making sure that one task does not use the memory that was allocated towards a different process.
Whenever you press a key, click the mouse, or start an application, you're sending instructions to the CPU. The CPU is generally a two-inch square with a silicon chip located inside. The CPU fits into the motherboard's CPU socket, which is covered by the heat sink, an object that absorbs heat from the CPU. A processor's speed is measured in megahertz (MHz), or millions of instructions per second; and gigahertz (GHz), or billions of instructions per second. A faster processor can execute instructions more quickly. However, the actual speed of the computer depends on the speed of many different components—not just the processor.
An interruption identification framework (IDS) is an application that screens system or framework exercises for malignant exercises or arrangement infringement and produces reports to an administration station. IDS furnish a few methodologies with the objective of recognizing suspicious activity in distinctive ways. An interruption identification framework can be executed in two separate structures which incorporate system based interruption discovery framework (NIDS) and host based interruption recognition framework (HIDS) interruption location frameworks. A few frameworks may endeavor to stop an interruption endeavor yet this is neither obliged nor expected of any observing framework. Interruption identification and anticipation frameworks
An asynchronous signal is one that is transmitted at a different clock rate than another signal. Asynchronous operation also means that a process operates independently of other processes, whereas synchronous operation means that the process runs only as a result of some other process being completed or handing off operation.
A port is a point at which you can attach leads from devices to the
Watson, J. (2008). A history of computer operating systems (pp. 14-17). Ann Arbor, MI: Nimble Books.
When an executable file is loaded into memory, it is called a process. A process is an instance of a program in executing. It contains its current activity, such as its program code and also the contents of the processor’s register. It generally includes the process stack, which contain temporary data, and a data section, which global variables. During runtime, it may include a heap, or dynamically allocated memory. In contrast with a program, a process is “an active entity, with a program counter specifying the next instruction to execute and a set of associated resources” (Operating System Concept 106). A process is a program that executes a single instance of a thread. Multiple threads can exist which allows more than one task to perform at a time. Multithreaded processes may share resources such as code, data, and file section. They do not share resources such as registers and stack.
We have the microprocessor to thank for all of our consumer electronic devices, because without them, our devices would be much larger. Microprocessors are the feat of generations of research and development. Microprocessors were invented in 1972 by Intel Corporation and have made it so that computers could shrink to the sizes we know today. Before, computers took a room because the transistors or vacuum tubes were individual components. Microprocessors unified the technology on one chip while reducing the costs. Microprocessor technology has been the most important revolution in the computer industry in the past forty years, as microprocessors have allowed our consumer electronics to exist.
CPU Stands for "Central Processing Unit." The CPU is the primary component of a computer that processes instructions. It runs the operating system and applications, constantly receiving input from the user or active software
Computers are very complex and have many different uses. This makes for a very complex system of parts that work together to do what the user wants from the computer. The purpose of this paper is to explain a few main components of the computer. The components covered are going to be system units, Motherboards, Central Processing Units, and Memory. Many people are not familiar with these terms and their meaning. These components are commonly mistaken for one and other.
According to Parsons and Oja (2014), they state that a “microprocessor is an integrated circuit designed to process instructions” (p 67).
A CPU has various discrete units to help it in these tasks for example there is an arithmetic and logic unit(ALU) that takes care of all the math and logical data comparisons that need to performed. A control register makes sure everything happens in the right sequence. The motherboard is the main circuit board inside the PC. All other components are either slotted into or soldered to this board.
In designing a computer system, architects consider five major elements that make up the system's hardware: the arithmetic/logic unit, control unit, memory, input, and output. The arithmetic/logic unit performs arithmetic and compares numerical values. The control unit directs the operation of the computer by taking the user instructions and transforming them into electrical signals that the computer's circuitry can understand. The combination of the arithmetic/logic unit and the control unit is called the central processing unit (CPU). The memory stores instructions and data.