Digital computer concepts; Von-Neumann concept ; Hardware & Software
and their nature ; structure & functions of a computer system , Role of operating system.
Memory Unit : Memory classification , characteristics ; Organization of RAM , address decoding
ROM/PROM/EEPROM ; Magnetic memories , recording formats & methods , Disk & tape units;
Concept of memory map , memory hierarchy , Associative memory organization ; Cache introduction ,
techniques to reduce cache misses , concept of virtual memory & paging.
CPU Design: The ALU – ALU organization , Integer representation , 1s and 2s complement
arithmetic ; Serial & Parallel Address; implementation of high speed Address Carry Look Ahead &
carry Save Address; Multiplication of signed binary numbers-Booth’s algorithm ; Divide algorithms-
Restoring & Non-Restoring ; Floating point number arithmetic; Overflow detection , status flags.
Instruction Set Architecture- Choice of instruction set ; Instruction word formats ; Addressing modes.
Control Design – Timing diagrams; T-States , Controlling arithmetic & logic instruction , control
structures ; Hardwired & Micro programmed, CISC & RISC characteristics.
Pipelining-general concept , speed up , instruction & arithmetic pipeline; Examples of some pipeline in
modern processors , pipeline hazards; Flynn’s classification –SISD ,SIMD , MISD , MIMD
architectures-Vector and Array processors & their comparison , Concept of Multiprocessor;
Centralized & distributed architectures.
Input/output Organization : Introduction to Bus architecture , effect of bus widths , Programmed &
Interrupt I/O , DMA.