Addressing Scheme - 25.3.1 | 25. Programmed I/O Overview | Computer Organisation and Architecture - Vol 3
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Introduction to I/O and Polling

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Teacher
Teacher

Today, we will discuss I/O operations focusing on how the CPU interacts with input/output devices. Can anyone explain what polling means in the context of I/O?

Student 1
Student 1

Polling means the CPU checks the status of an I/O device continuously, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Polling involves the CPU repeatedly checking whether an I/O device is ready for communication, which can waste CPU cycles. This leads us to our addressing schemes.

Student 2
Student 2

Why can't the CPU just get notified by the I/O device instead?

Teacher
Teacher

That's a great question! While interrupt-driven I/O allows devices to inform the CPU, polling is simpler and often used when immediate responsiveness isn't crucial.

Teacher
Teacher

Remember: Polling = checking status continuously. Now, let's explore addressing schemes further.

Understanding Addressing Schemes

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Teacher
Teacher

Let's talk about addressing schemes. Why do we need unique addresses for each I/O device?

Student 3
Student 3

Is it to ensure the CPU knows which device to communicate with?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Each device must have a distinct address so the processor can access it without confusion. We achieve this through memory mapping or isolation.

Student 4
Student 4

What's the difference between memory-mapped I/O and isolated I/O?

Teacher
Teacher

Good point! In memory-mapped I/O, device addresses overlap with memory addresses. Isolated I/O uses separate address spaces for memory and devices.

Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, remember: 'Memory-mapping means overlap!' Let's explore the command types next.

Commands for I/O Operations

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Teacher
Teacher

Now, on to I/O commands! Can anyone list the categories of commands needed for I/O operations?

Student 1
Student 1

I think they are controlling, testing, and reading/writing commands?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Controlling commands initiate device actions, while reading/writing commands manage data transfer. The testing commands check device status.

Student 2
Student 2

How do these commands relate to the addressing scheme?

Teacher
Teacher

Great connection! Depending on whether we use memory-mapped or isolated I/O, the commands can differ. Memory-mapped allows reuse of memory commands for devices.

Teacher
Teacher

To remember: 'C, T, R' for controlling, testing, and reading/writing commands. Now let’s summarize what we’ve learned.

Application of I/O Techniques

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Teacher
Teacher

Finally, let’s reflect on why these addressing techniques and commands matter in real-world applications. Who can give an example?

Student 3
Student 3

Like when printing a document, the CPU needs to properly communicate with the printer, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! If details like addresses and commands aren't correct, the document won't print correctly. Efficient addressing ensures smooth operations.

Student 4
Student 4

And the performance of our CPUs relies on how efficiently they handle these I/O operations!

Teacher
Teacher

Right again! Always remember: correct addressing and commands lead to efficient CPU performance. Let’s summarize all we discussed today!

Introduction & Overview

Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.

Quick Overview

This section discusses the addressing scheme used in I/O operations, emphasizing the difference between memory-mapped and isolated I/O.

Standard

The section outlines the significance of properly addressing I/O devices, the distinction between memory-mapped and isolated I/O, and the commands necessary for data transfer. It highlights the need for an efficient addressing scheme to optimize processor performance during I/O operations.

Detailed

Addressing Scheme

In this section, we delve into the addressing scheme necessary for efficient I/O operations within a computer system. The importance of unique addresses for each I/O device is emphasized, reflecting the necessity for structured communication between the CPU and devices. The concept of polling is introduced, where the CPU continuously checks device status, leading to potential wastage of CPU time.

The section further distinguishes between memory-mapped I/O and isolated I/O. In memory-mapped I/O, the same addressable space is shared among memory and I/O devices, allowing the CPU to utilize memory instructions for I/O operations. Conversely, isolated I/O maintains independent address spaces for memory and I/O devices, utilizing different control signals to designate the type of operation.

The methodology of transferring data includes using the commands to read and write data, which fall into three categories: controlling commands, status checking commands, and data transfer commands. This comprehensive approach aims at addressing both the technical and functional aspects of I/O management.

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Understanding Programmed I/O

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So, basically it is a sensing of status, then using the read write command, then transferring of data; this is the way that we are going to do, but here what is the problem that we have first? CPU needs to wait and poll, it is checking it continuously. So, it cannot do any other work. So, there is a wastage of CPU time. So, basically you just see that if we are going to connect something like that this processor is going to, maybe 1 bit of the status register is going to continuously monitor and if it is set to 1; that means, device is ready, then it is going to perform the transfer operation. So, this is our programmed I/O.

Detailed Explanation

Programmed I/O is a method used by the CPU to communicate with input/output (I/O) devices. In this approach, the CPU actively checks the status of I/O devices using specific commands. It continuously polls, or checks, whether a device is ready for data transfer. This can lead to inefficiencies as the CPU is occupied with checking the status and cannot perform other tasks during this time. If the status register indicates that the device is ready (for example, if a certain bit is set to 1), only then does the CPU proceed with the data transfer operation.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a busy waiter checking a vacuum cleaner that is connected to a power outlet. The waiter's only task is to check if the vacuum cleaner is ready to be used or not. While the waiter is busy checking, he cannot serve other customers. This situation represents programmed I/O, where the CPU (like the waiter) is waiting for the I/O device (the vacuum cleaner) to indicate that it is ready, thereby wasting time that could be spent on other tasks.

Basic Steps in Programmed I/O

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So, basically this is now programmed I/O details now you just see these are the simple steps ; first one CPU requests to I/O operation that in processor we have shown it, I/O module performs operation, then by looking into the state of the devices I/O module sets the status bit, CPU checks status bits periodically, I/O module does not inform CPU directly, you now see that here I/O module is not going to inform the CPU directly that device is ready, but in case of interrupt driven in somewhere, in somewhere I/O module is going to inform this particular things to the processor.

Detailed Explanation

The programmed I/O process involves several steps: firstly, the CPU issues a command to request an I/O operation. The I/O module then checks the current state of the device and updates a status bit accordingly. The CPU periodically checks this status bit to determine if the device is ready for communication. Notably, in programmed I/O, the I/O module does not send a direct signal to the CPU to indicate readiness, unlike in interrupt-driven I/O where the module directly informs the CPU.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a teacher asking students (I/O devices) one by one if they are ready to present. The teacher (CPU) waits for each student to answer and doesn’t get any signal until the student speaks up. If the teacher simply waited quietly for responses without attending to other students, time would be wasted until each student says they are ready. This illustrates programmed I/O: the teacher (CPU) can’t do other activities while checking each student’s readiness.

Addressing I/O Commands

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Already I have mentioned that we need some commands I/O commands. So, first the issues for that I/O command is like that how to identify the module. So that means, we have to have device address so this is the one point how we are going to give the addresses of the I/O devices.

Detailed Explanation

For efficient communication with I/O devices, it is essential to establish a set of commands that allows the CPU to identify and manage these devices. A critical aspect of this is assigning a unique address to each I/O device, much like how each house on a street has its own address. This unique identification allows the CPU to send commands to the correct device.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a postal service where each house receives letters. Each house (I/O device) has a unique address for the postal worker (CPU) to deliver mail. If the addresses were not unique, mail could easily get delivered to the wrong house. Similarly, without unique device addresses for I/O operations, the CPU would not know where to send commands or data.

Control Commands for I/O Operations

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So, basically some control commands we have to issue just to initiate the process like that already have explained. If we want to print something in the printer we should send some control signal to the printer to initiate it or maybe to bring the printer head to the appropriate position.

Detailed Explanation

Control commands are essential for initiating and managing I/O operations. For example, before printing a document, the CPU must send specific control signals to the printer to prepare it for action (like moving the print head to the correct position). These commands are integral for ensuring that devices are ready and correctly set up to perform their functions.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a chef preparing a dish. Before starting to cook, the chef must gather all their utensils and ingredients. They might also need to preheat the oven. This preparatory process is akin to sending control commands to a printer. Without these initial steps, the cooking (or printing) cannot begin successfully.

Unique Address Assignment for Devices

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So, in that particular case, it is basically now, already I said that we have to give a unique identification to the processor or to the devices. So, for that we have to give an address. So, again this address is nothing but a bit stream of 0s and 1, because we are going to work with the 0s and 1 only.

Detailed Explanation

Unique identification for I/O devices is achieved through the assignment of addresses, which are expressed in binary form (0s and 1s). Each device must have a distinct address to ensure the CPU can direct commands appropriately without confusion. Just like each item in a grocery store has a unique code for checkout, each device needs a unique address in order for the system to function efficiently.

Examples & Analogies

Think of a library where each book has a unique identification number. When a librarian wants to find a specific book, they use that number. Similarly, in the realm of I/O devices, using unique binary addresses allows the CPU to find and communicate with each device effectively.

Mapping I/O Devices to the Processor

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So, for that we have to look I/O mapping, so how we are going to map the I/O devices to the processor. So that we can identify that particular device correctly.

Detailed Explanation

I/O mapping is the process by which the CPU identifies and communicates with I/O devices. There are two primary methods of mapping: memory-mapped I/O and isolated I/O. In memory-mapped I/O, the same address space is shared between memory and I/O devices, while isolated I/O maintains separate address spaces for memory and I/O operations, allowing for a different handling structure for each.

Examples & Analogies

Consider two neighborhoods with distinct street names and numbers (isolated I/O) versus one large neighborhood where all homes share common street names (memory-mapped I/O). In the isolated model, you could have more homes (devices) without overlap issues, while in the shared model, some of the addresses must be reserved for specific purposes, controlling how many devices can exist.

Definitions & Key Concepts

Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.

Key Concepts

  • Polling: An operation where the CPU continuously checks device status.

  • Memory-Mapped I/O: Sharing the address space between memory and I/O devices.

  • Isolated I/O: Distinct address spaces for memory and I/O devices.

  • Control Commands: Commands enabling devices to perform actions.

  • Read/Write Commands: Commands allowing data transfer to/from devices.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.

Examples

  • When a printer is turned on, the CPU uses polling to check whether the printer is ready to receive data.

  • In a memory-mapped system, the same instructions used for accessing memory locations can be employed to communicate with an I/O device, such as reading data from a sensor.

Memory Aids

Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.

🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Polling's a check, don’t you see, wasting cycles when unchecked can be.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Imagine a librarian always checking every book's availability instead of helping readers; that’s like a CPU polling I/O devices.

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • C for Control, T for Testing, R for Reading/Writing—remembering the command categories!

🎯 Super Acronyms

PIMI

  • Polling Is Memory-mapped I/O.

Flash Cards

Review key concepts with flashcards.

Glossary of Terms

Review the Definitions for terms.

  • Term: Polling

    Definition:

    The process where the CPU continuously checks the status of an I/O device.

  • Term: MemoryMapped I/O

    Definition:

    An addressing method where I/O devices share the same address space with memory.

  • Term: Isolated I/O

    Definition:

    An I/O addressing scheme where separate address spaces are designated for I/O devices and memory.

  • Term: Control Commands

    Definition:

    Commands issued to manage I/O device operations.

  • Term: Read/Write Commands

    Definition:

    Instructions that direct the flow of data between the CPU and I/O devices.

  • Term: Status Checking Command

    Definition:

    Commands used to verify the readiness of I/O devices for operations.