Unit 4: Processor Fundamentals

4.1 Central Processing Unit (CPU) Architecture 1 Show understanding of the basic Von Neumann model for a computer system and the stored program concept 2 Show understanding of the purpose and role of registers, including the difference between general purpose and special purpose registers 3 Show understanding of the purpose and roles of the Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU), Control Unit (CU) and system clock, Immediate Access Store (IAS) 4 Show understanding of how data are transferred between various components of the computer system using the address bus, data bus and control bus 5 Show understanding of how factors contribute to the performance of the computer system 6 Understand how different ports provide connection to peripheral devices 7 Describe the stages of the Fetch-Execute (F-E) cycle 8 Show understanding of the purpose of interrupts 4.2 Assembly Language 1 Show understanding of the relationship between assembly language and machine code 2 Describe the different stages of the assembly process for a two-pass assembler 3 Trace a given simple assembly language program 4 Show understanding that a set of instructions are grouped 5 Show understanding of and be able to use different modes of addressing 4.3 Bit manipulation 1 Show understanding of and perform binary shifts 2 Show understanding of how bit manipulation can be used to monitor/control a device