Addressing Sequencing | Computer Architecture & Organisation (CAO) - Computer Science Engineering (CSE) PDF Download

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Addressing sequencing

• Microinstructions are stored in control memory in groups, with each group specifying a routine.
• Each computer instruction has its own microprogram routine in control memory to generate the microoperations that execute the instruction.
• To appreciate the address sequencing in a microprogram control unit:
  • An initial address is loaded into the control address register when power is turned on in the computer.
  • This address is usually the address of the first microinstruction that activates the instruction fetch routine.
  • The control memory next must go through the routine that determines the effective address of the operand.
  • The next step is to generate the microoperations that execute the instruction fetched from memory.

• The transformation from the instruction code bits to an address in control memory where the routine is located is referred to as a mapping process.
• The address sequencing capabilities required in a control memory are:
  • Incrementing of the control address register
  • Unconditional branch or conditional branch, depending on status bit conditions
  • A mapping process from the bits of the instruction to an address for control memory
  • A facility for subroutine call and return
• Fig. 3-2 shows a block diagram of a control memory and the associated hardware needed for selecting the next microinstruction address.
• The microinstruction in control memory contains
  • a set of bits to initiate microoperations in computer registers
  • Other bits to specify the method by which the next address is obtained

Sequencing Capabilities Required in Control Storage 

• Incrementing of the control address register
• Unconditional and conditional branches
• A mapping process from the bits of the machine instruction to an address for control memory
• A facility for subroutine call and return

Conditional Branching

• The branch logic of Fig. 3-2 provides decision-making capabilities in the control unit.
• The status conditions are special bits in the system that provides parameter information.
  • e.g. the carry-out, the sign bit, the mode bits, and input or output status
• The status bits, together with the field in the microinstruction that specifies a branch address, control the conditional branch decisions generated in the branch logic.
• The branch logic hardware may be implemented by multiplexer.
  • Branch to the indicated address if the condition is met;
  • Otherwise, the address register is incremented.
• An unconditional branch microinstruction can be implemented by loading the branch address from control memory into the control address register.
• If Condition is true, then Branch (address from the next address field of the current microinstruction) else Fall Through
• Conditions to Test: O(overflow), N(negative), Z(zero), C(carry), etc.

Unconditional Branch

• Fixing the value of one status bit at the input of the multiplexer to 1

Mapping of Instructions

• A special type of branch exists when a microinstruction specifies a branch to the first word in control memory where a microprogram routine for an instruction is located.
• The status bits for this type of branch are the bits in the operation code part of the instruction.
• One simple mapping process that converts the 4-bit operation code to a 7-bit address for control memory is shown in Fig. 3-3.
  • Placing a 0 in the most significant bit of the address
  • Transferring the four operation code bits
  • Clearing the two least significant bits of the control address register
• This provides for each computer instruction a microprogram routine with a capacity of four microinstructions.
  • If the routine needs more than four microinstructions, it can use addresses 1000000 through 1111111.
  • If it uses fewer than four microinstructions, the unused memory locations would be available for other routines.
• One can extend this concept to a more general mapping rule by using a ROM or programmable logic device (PLD) to specify the mapping function.

Fig 3-3 (b): Mapping Function Implemented by ROM and PLD
Mapping from the OP-code of an instruction to the address of the Microinstruction which is the starting microinstruction of its execution microprogram.

• Subroutines are programs that are used by other routines to accomplish a particular task.
• Microinstructions can be saved by employing subroutines that use common sections of microcode.
• e.g. effective address computation
• The subroutine register can then become the source for transferring the address for the return  to the main routine.
• The best way to structure a register file that stores addresses for subroutines is to organize the registers in a last-in, first-out (LIFO) stack.

Read all about ALU, Data Path & Control Unit here.