9
for class on Thursday Oct. 9, 1997
Please read Sections 5.4 and 5.5 of the Patterson & Hennessy text, and be prepared to discuss the following issues:
1. We'll look closely at the design of the multi-cycle datapath (Figure 5.33 in the text). Compared with the single-cycle design of last two classes, this design has some new registers. Please consider the logical rationale for such registers: are they needed for correct functionality, for better performance, for improved pedagogy, or what? The first edition of this book had just two new registers: the instruction register and a register for holding branch targets.
2.There are two methods for controlling this design, finite-state machine and microprogramming. These methods seem very similar. Are they really the same, or are there subtle differences?