31.2.2. Comparison of Bus Architectures

Try these first

1. 1.

   Name two types of bus architectures.

   Hint

   Think about the terms we've discussed.

2. 2.

   What does MDR stand for?

   Hint

   What do we call the register that stores data temporarily?

3. 3.

   What is the primary advantage of a three bus architecture?

   • Less complexity
   • Higher data transfer capacity
   • Cheaper implementation

   Hint

   Consider the number of buses involved.

4. 4.

   True or False: A single bus architecture can handle more simultaneous data transfers than a three bus architecture.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think about how many paths for data each architecture has.

5. 5.

   Given a scenario where both architectures are tasked with executing the instruction 'R1 = R2 + R3', analyze and compare the cycle time for each.

   Hint

   Think about the number of operations each architecture needs to complete.

6. 6.

   Design a flowchart showing the data transfer from the MDR to R1 using both architectures and discuss the differences in control signal management.

   Hint

   Sketch clarity in your flow representation.