23.6. Questions and Objectives

Try these first

1. 1.

   What is a micro-program control unit?

   Hint

   Think about how machines execute instructions.

2. 2.

   Describe vertical micro-programming.

   Hint

   Focus on memory efficiency.

3. 3.

   What is the main advantage of vertical micro-programming?

   • Faster execution
   • Less memory usage
   • Simplicity

   Hint

   Think about memory efficiency.

4. 4.

   True or False: Horizontal micro-programming allows multiple signals to be active at the same time.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Consider execution speed.

5. 5.

   Design a simple micro-program control unit utilizing vertical micro-programming for a basic instruction set. Explain your design choices.

   Hint

   Consider how you will encode each signal.

6. 6.

   Analyze a scenario where horizontal micro-programming is more beneficial than vertical programming. Discuss potential downsides.

   Hint

   Think about the trade-offs in speed and memory.