Microprocessor Evolution Quiz
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Microprocessor Evolution Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What was the initial target for the Intel 4004 microprocessor?

  • Gaming consoles
  • High-performance computing
  • Embedded control (correct)
  • Desktop personal computers

    • Which microprocessor was noted for being architected in just 10 weeks?

  • Motorola 68000
  • Intel 4004
  • Intel 8086 (correct)
  • Intel i432

    • What type of architecture did the Intel i432 utilize?

  • 32-bit capability-based object-oriented architecture (correct)
  • 4-bit accumulator architecture
  • 8-bit general purpose architecture
  • 16-bit extended accumulator architecture

    • Which microprocessor is associated with the introduction of the first DRAM?

    <p>Intel 1103</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant issue faced by the Intel i432 microprocessor?

    <p>High usability problems</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The Motorola 68000 microprocessor was heavily based on which type of architecture?

    <p>Microcoded and nanocoded</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which component is NOT part of the Intel 8086 architecture?

    <p>Floating point register (FR)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the first major business application that influenced the personal computer market?

    <p>VISICALC spreadsheet for Apple-II</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many address pins did the Motorola 68000 have?

    <p>24</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which feature distinguished the Intel 8086 from the Intel 4004?

    <p>16-bit processor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the key feature that distinguishes in-order execution from out-of-order execution?

    <p>Instructions can be executed in any order based on resource availability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the MIPS R10000 microarchitecture?

    <p>It features in-order instruction execution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of register renaming in out-of-order execution?

    <p>To prevent data hazards by providing different instances of physical registers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does speculative execution function in out-of-order execution?

    <p>Execution continues regardless of whether branches are resolved.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which pipeline stage is common to both in-order and out-of-order execution designs?

    <p>Fetch stage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical range of pipeline stages found in both in-order and out-of-order designs?

    <p>10-30 stages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the Reorder Buffer (ROB) in out-of-order execution?

    <p>To store completed instructions until they commit.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of cache architecture does the MIPS R10000 employ?

    <p>Split instruction and data cache.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What processor architecture became essential for high-end systems in the 1990s?

    <p>64-bit addressing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which company developed the first superscalar microprocessor?

    <p>IBM</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a significant technology that replaced minicomputers during the rise of personal computers?

    <p>Workstations</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is primarily responsible for the limited success of Massively Parallel Processors (MPPs) in the supercomputing market?

    <p>Performance limitations with competing technologies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which microarchitecture component is designed specifically for managing and renaming registers?

    <p>Allocator/Register Renamer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was a notable trend regarding clock frequency and transistor speed during the 1990s?

    <p>Clock frequency rose faster than transistor speed</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of applications drove the demand for workstations in distributed network computing?

    <p>Scientific and engineering applications</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What component in modern microarchitecture handles the prefetching of information?

    <p>Prefetcher</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What technology allows multiple signals to be driven across the chip simultaneously?

    <p>Dedicated pipeline stages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key feature of the advanced circuit designs in the 1990s?

    <p>Increased complexity of circuit designs</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    First Microprocessor

    • Intel 4004, launched in 1971, was a 4-bit microprocessor with an accumulator architecture.
    • Featured 2,300 transistors and operated at a clock speed of 750 kHz, executing 8-16 cycles per instruction.
    • Designed for embedded control in devices like desktop printing calculators.

    Microprocessors in the Seventies

    • Initial focus on embedded applications; significant usage in hobbyist personal computers.
    • Key innovations led to 8-bit microprocessors like Micral, Altair, TRS-80, and Apple-II, though had minimal initial market impact.
    • VISICALC for Apple-II marked a pivotal application for personal computers, establishing a business use case.

    DRAM in the Seventies

    • Rapid advancements in MOSFET memory technology.
    • Intel introduced the first 1Kbit DRAM (1103) in 1970, followed by a 64Kbit DRAM from Fujitsu in 1979.
    • Indicated trajectory toward personal computers equipped with over 64KBytes of memory.

    Microprocessor Evolution

    • Progress in size and speed driven by advances in MOSFET technology and market growth.
    • Intel i432 (1981) introduced as a complex 32-bit, object-oriented architecture but faced performance and usability issues.
    • Motorola 68000 (1979) became notable with 68,000 transistors, offering a 32-bit general purpose architecture.
    • Intel 8086 (1978) emerged as a 16-bit processor with 29,000 transistors; designed in 10 weeks to be assembly-compatible with 8080.

    Intel 8086 Architecture

    • Used various registers for different purposes, such as AX and BX for general operations, and CS, DS for memory segments.
    • 250,000 initial sales led to a staggering 100 million units sold over time.
    • Microsoft secured OS rights for IBM, modifying QDOS to create MS-DOS, driving software standardization in personal computing.

    The Eighties: Personal Computer Revolution

    • Surge of personal computers created diverse applications in business and consumer markets.
    • Dominated by 8-bit and 16-bit microprocessors including Zilog Z80 and Intel 8088/86.
    • Workstations replaced minicomputers, utilizing powerful 32-bit processors with features like virtual memory and hardware floating-point calculations.
    • Massively Parallel Processors (MPPs) emerged to rival supercomputers by harnessing multiple inexpensive microprocessors.

    The Nineties: Advanced Microprocessors

    • Introduction of advanced superscalar microprocessors beginning with IBM POWER in 1990.
    • MPPs struggled to compete with high-performance mainframes and vector supercomputers.
    • Transition to 64-bit addressing critical due to increasing DRAM costs, stressing architectural advancements.

    P-4 Microarchitecture

    • Features a pipeline dedicated to signal processing across the chip, demonstrating increased complexity.
    • Incorporates multiple caches, queues, and scheduling units, supporting high throughput.

    Microarchitecture Comparison

    • Distinction between in-order and out-of-order execution styles, with each using branch predictors for enhanced instruction management.
    • Both methodologies enable simultaneous instruction execution, with designs traditionally featuring 10-30 pipeline stages.

    MIPS R10000 (1995)

    • Built on a 0.35µm CMOS process with four instructions executed per cycle.
    • Capitalized on out-of-order execution, register renaming, and speculative execution beyond branches while incorporating split caches.

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    Related Documents

    Micro_evolution.pdf

    Description

    Test your knowledge on the evolution of microprocessors from the 4004 to the Pentium-4. Explore key developments and technological advancements that have shaped the performance and capabilities of microprocessors over the years. Ideal for computer science enthusiasts and students.

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