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Questions and Answers
Which of the following is NOT a typical component of a basic computer system?
Which of the following is NOT a typical component of a basic computer system?
What is the function of the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU)?
What is the function of the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU)?
What is the function of the Control Unit?
What is the function of the Control Unit?
What is the function of the Memory Unit?
What is the function of the Memory Unit?
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What is the purpose of input devices in a computer system?
What is the purpose of input devices in a computer system?
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What is the purpose of output devices in a computer system?
What is the purpose of output devices in a computer system?
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What are input/output devices also known as?
What are input/output devices also known as?
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What are the interface circuits that provide appropriate electrical connections called?
What are the interface circuits that provide appropriate electrical connections called?
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What is the function of the Address Bus?
What is the function of the Address Bus?
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What is the function of the Data Bus?
What is the function of the Data Bus?
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What is the function of the Control Bus?
What is the function of the Control Bus?
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Which of the following is NOT true about embedded computer systems?
Which of the following is NOT true about embedded computer systems?
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What is the main reason for the increased demand for computing power?
What is the main reason for the increased demand for computing power?
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What are some examples of sophisticated control algorithms that require a large amount of floating point numbers and matrix operations?
What are some examples of sophisticated control algorithms that require a large amount of floating point numbers and matrix operations?
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What are some ways that increases in performance can come about?
What are some ways that increases in performance can come about?
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What is the advantage of using 32-bit and 64-bit addresses for manipulating data like sound, images, and video?
What is the advantage of using 32-bit and 64-bit addresses for manipulating data like sound, images, and video?
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What is the typical size of a unit of data manipulated in computing?
What is the typical size of a unit of data manipulated in computing?
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What is the advantage of having two or more processing units in a processor?
What is the advantage of having two or more processing units in a processor?
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What made the Intel series of microprocessors popular?
What made the Intel series of microprocessors popular?
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What did Intel allow later processors to run in to provide compatibility with older programs?
What did Intel allow later processors to run in to provide compatibility with older programs?
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What has the use of the PC brought about in terms of application development?
What has the use of the PC brought about in terms of application development?
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When were ARM processors introduced?
When were ARM processors introduced?
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What is the advantage of using ARM processors in mobile devices?
What is the advantage of using ARM processors in mobile devices?
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What are systems on a chip (SoC)?
What are systems on a chip (SoC)?
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What is the main reason for the increased demand for computing power?
What is the main reason for the increased demand for computing power?
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What are the two types of addresses that can be used to achieve high speed and large storage?
What are the two types of addresses that can be used to achieve high speed and large storage?
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What is the typical unit of data manipulated in computing?
What is the typical unit of data manipulated in computing?
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What is the main advantage of using processor architecture with multiple processing units?
What is the main advantage of using processor architecture with multiple processing units?
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Which microprocessor became popular due to the IBM PC?
Which microprocessor became popular due to the IBM PC?
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What are the different modes that later Intel processors can run in?
What are the different modes that later Intel processors can run in?
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What is the main advantage of using ARM processors in mobile devices?
What is the main advantage of using ARM processors in mobile devices?
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What is the main advantage of using SoC (systems on a chip)?
What is the main advantage of using SoC (systems on a chip)?
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What is the main difference between Intel processors and ARM processors?
What is the main difference between Intel processors and ARM processors?
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What are some of the hardware components that can be included in SoC?
What are some of the hardware components that can be included in SoC?
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What is the main advantage of using the Broadcom version of SoC?
What is the main advantage of using the Broadcom version of SoC?
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What are some of the control algorithms that use a large amount of floating point numbers and matrix operations?
What are some of the control algorithms that use a large amount of floating point numbers and matrix operations?
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Study Notes
Introduction to Embedded Computer Systems and Typical Microcomputer Organization
- Embedded computer systems are part of another system and range from remote controls to automobiles and aircrafts.
- Embedded systems are typically smaller in size compared to desktops.
- A basic computer system consists of the Central Processing Unit (CPU), the memory unit, and the input and output units interconnected with buses.
- The Central Processing Unit consists of the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU), registers, and a control unit.
- The ALU performs arithmetic and logical operations on binary data while registers are used for storing data, addresses, or instructions.
- The Control Unit directs the operation of all other units and provides timing and control signals.
- The Memory Unit contains a large number of memory cells, usually RAM and ROM, and is used to store instruction sequences or programs and data resulting from processing.
- Input devices supply the data needed for processing or to tell the program how to operate on data.
- Output devices allow results of the computer operations to be supplied to the user.
- Input/output devices are also known as peripherals, and input/output ports are the interface circuits that provide appropriate electrical connections.
- The CPU is linked to other parts of the system by buses, which include the address bus, data bus, and control bus.
- The Address Bus is used by the CPU to send out the address of a memory location that is to be read from or written into, or the address of a particular input or output port. The Data Bus is bidirectional, and the Control Bus is used to carry signals that synchronize the activities of the separate blocks of the computer system.
Advancements in Computing Power and Processor Architecture
- Demand for computing power has increased due to the use of image and video data and analytics, which require large addressing space and the use of fractional or floating point numbers.
- Sophisticated control algorithms like fuzzy logic, neural networks, and statistical signal processing use a large amount of floating point numbers and matrix operations.
- Increases in performance can come about through processing speed, address manipulation, data precision, and changes in architecture.
- Manipulating data like sound, images, and video requires large storage and high speed, which can be achieved through the use of 32-bit addresses and 64-bit addresses that are becoming available.
- A unit of data manipulated is typically 8 bits or a byte, but more sophisticated manipulations require many more bits to prevent loss of precision.
- Changes in processor architecture can make data flow more efficiently, such as having two or more processing units that allow simultaneous fetching and processing of data.
- The Intel series of microprocessors became popular due to the IBM PC, and programs used then can still be run on today's desktop systems.
- Intel allowed later processors to run in Real, Protected, and Virtual 86 modes to provide compatibility with older programs.
- The use of the PC has brought about many thousands of hardware and software applications, leading to quick application development for sophisticated applications.
- ARM processors, which use reduced instruction set computing, were introduced in 1983 and are popular in mobile devices due to their low power consumption.
- ARM processors are designed by their parent company and licensed to other companies who customize the design by adding in hardware and peripherals, resulting in systems on a chip (SoC).
- SoC can include hardware like GPUs, analog radio frequency processing, and more, and the Broadcom version is used in the Raspberry Pi series of processors.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of embedded computer systems and microcomputer organization with this quiz! Learn about the components of a basic computer system, including the Central Processing Unit, the memory unit, and input/output devices. Discover how these units are interconnected through buses and how they work together to process data. This quiz is perfect for anyone interested in computer engineering, electronics, or software development. Put your skills to the test and see if you're ready to design and program your own embedded systems!
