Microcontroller | Module 5: System Level Interfacing Design and Arithmetic Coprocessors by Prakhar Chauhan | Learn Smarter
K12 Students

Academics

AI-Powered learning for Grades 8–12, aligned with major Indian and international curricula.

Professionals

Professional Courses

Industry-relevant training in Business, Technology, and Design to help professionals and graduates upskill for real-world careers.

Games

Interactive Games

Fun, engaging games to boost memory, math fluency, typing speed, and English skills—perfect for learners of all ages.

Module 5: System Level Interfacing Design and Arithmetic Coprocessors

The module delves into system-level interfacing design principles and the role of arithmetic coprocessors in enhancing computational capabilities. It reviews bus architectures, signal conditioning, and the interplay between various buses in a microcomputer system while emphasizing the need for efficient peripheral interfacing and resolving address conflicts. The chapter culminates in an exploration of arithmetic coprocessors, particularly the Intel 8087, detailing their necessity, functions, and integration with CPUs to accelerate complex mathematical computations.

Enroll to start learning

You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.

Sections

  • 5

    System Level Interfacing Design And Arithmetic Coprocessors

    This section examines the integration of microcomputer system components, focusing on system-level interfacing design principles and the role of arithmetic coprocessors in enhancing computational efficiency.

  • 5.1

    System Level Interfacing Design Principles: Bus Architectures, Arbitration, And Signal Conditioning

    This section provides a comprehensive overview of key principles in system-level interfacing design, focusing on bus architectures, arbitration methods, and signal conditioning techniques.

  • 5.1.1

    Bus Architectures: The Pathways Of Digital Communication

    This section explores various bus architectures used in microcomputer systems, detailing their roles in communication, advantages, and drawbacks.

  • 5.1.1.1

    Single Bus Architecture (Von Neumann Architecture Revisited)

    This section discusses the Single Bus Architecture, highlighting its characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages, particularly focusing on the Von Neumann bottleneck.

  • 5.1.1.2

    Dual Bus Architecture (Harvard Architecture Revisited)

    The Dual Bus Architecture, or Harvard Architecture, utilizes separate buses for data and instructions, enhancing throughput by allowing simultaneous fetching and execution, in contrast to the sequential nature of the Von Neumann architecture.

  • 5.1.1.3

    Hierarchical Bus Architecture (Advanced Systems)

    The hierarchical bus architecture enhances microcomputer systems by optimizing communication pathways for performance and modularity.

  • 5.1.2

    Bus Arbitration: Resolving Access Conflicts On Shared Pathways

    Bus arbitration is a mechanism that ensures exclusive access to a shared bus in a microcomputer system, preventing conflicts among multiple bus masters.

  • 5.1.2.1

    Daisy Chaining (Simple Priority)

    Daisy chaining is a simple hardware-based priority arbitration mechanism that allows multiple devices to request access to a shared bus in a predetermined order based on their physical connection sequence.

  • 5.1.2.2

    Polling (Software-Driven Arbitration)

    Polling is a method of bus arbitration that involves the CPU periodically checking the status of devices to manage access to the shared bus.

  • 5.1.2.3

    Independent Request/grant (Parallel Arbitration)

    This section discusses the Independent Request/Grant arbitration mechanism used in microcomputer systems for bus access management, highlighting its advantages in speed and flexibility.

  • 5.1.3

    Signal Conditioning: Ensuring Digital Signal Integrity

    Signal conditioning techniques are crucial for maintaining the integrity and reliability of digital signals within microcomputer systems, particularly in noise-prone environments.

  • 5.1.3.1

    Buffering (Current Amplification And Isolation)

    Buffering enhances the current driving capability of signals, preventing voltage drops and ensuring reliable data transfer in microcomputer systems.

  • 5.1.3.2

    Latching (Signal Stability And Synchronization)

    Latching is a crucial process for ensuring signal stability and synchronization in digital circuits, enabling them to handle asynchronous inputs effectively.

  • 5.1.3.3

    Pull-Up/pull-Down Resistors (Defined Default States)

    Pull-up and pull-down resistors provide well-defined logical states for signal lines, preventing floating inputs.

  • 5.1.3.4

    Termination Resistors (Preventing Signal Reflections)

    Termination resistors are crucial in high-speed data buses to prevent signal reflections that lead to data errors.

  • 5.2

    Data Bus, Address Bus, And Control Bus: Their Indispensable Roles In System Communication

    This section explores the critical roles of the data bus, address bus, and control bus in microcomputer systems, highlighting how they enable communication between the CPU and other components.

  • 5.2.1

    Address Bus: The Locator

    The Address Bus is a critical unidirectional pathway from the CPU used to determine specific memory or I/O addresses, facilitating precise data access.

  • 5.2.2

    Data Bus: The Carrier Of Information

    The Data Bus serves as the primary pathway for data transfer within a microcomputer system, facilitating communication between the CPU, memory, and I/O devices.

  • 5.2.3

    Control Bus: The Conductor Of The Orchestra

    The Control Bus is a vital collection of signals that orchestrate operations in a microcomputer system, enabling seamless coordination among components.

  • 5.3

    Interfacing Multiple Peripherals: Addressing Conflicts And Efficient Design Strategies

    This section discusses the design strategies for interfacing multiple peripherals in microcomputer systems, focusing on addressing conflicts and implementing effective address decoding methods.

  • 5.3.1

    Addressing Conflicts: The Digital Collisions

    This section discusses address conflicts in microcomputer systems arising when multiple peripherals share the same address, leading to potential data corruption and system instability.

  • 5.3.2

    Efficient Design Strategies: The Solutions

    This section discusses effective design strategies to prevent address conflicts in microcomputer systems through meticulous address decoding.

  • 5.4

    Introduction To Arithmetic Coprocessors: Why They Are Needed And Their Role In Improving Computational Speed

    Arithmetic coprocessors enhance computational speed by performing complex mathematical calculations that general-purpose CPUs manage poorly.

  • 5.4.1

    What Is An Arithmetic Coprocessor?

    Arithmetic coprocessors, also known as Floating-Point Units (FPUs), are specialized integrated circuits that accelerate complex mathematical computations, alleviating the burden on general-purpose CPUs.

  • 5.4.2

    Why Are They Needed? (The Inefficiencies Of General-Purpose Cpus For Advanced Math)

    Arithmetic coprocessors are essential due to the inefficiencies of general-purpose CPUs when performing complex mathematical computations, especially in floating-point arithmetic.

  • 5.4.3

    Role In Improving Computational Speed (The Solution)

    Arithmetic coprocessors enhance computational speed by offloading complex mathematical operations from the CPU.

  • 5.5

    Interfacing Arithmetic Coprocessors (E.g., 8087): Data Types, Instructions, And Integration With The Main Cpu

    This section discusses the interfacing of the Intel 8087 coprocessor with the 8086/8088 CPU, detailing the coprocessor's data types, specialized instruction sets, and integration mechanisms for enhanced computational performance.

  • 5.5.1

    Interfacing The 8087 With The 8086/8088 Cpu: A Symbiotic Connection

    This section discusses the integration of the Intel 8087 coprocessor with the 8086/8088 CPUs, highlighting their shared bus interface and how they collaborate for improved arithmetic processing.

  • 5.5.2

    Data Types Supported By The 8087: Expanding Numerical Horizons

    This section discusses the various data types handled by the Intel 8087 coprocessor, emphasizing its ability to support complex numerical formats that enhance computational capabilities.

  • 5.5.3

    Instruction Set Of The 8087 (Illustrative Examples)

    The section outlines the instruction set of the Intel 8087 coprocessor, detailing its operations for floating-point calculations and data transfer.

  • 5.5.4

    Integration With The Main Cpu: The Harmony Of Computation

    This section explores the integration of the 8087 arithmetic coprocessor with the 8086/8088 CPU, detailing their symbiotic operational relationship.

Class Notes

Memorization

What we have learnt

  • The significance of bus arc...
  • The fundamental role of add...
  • The necessity of arithmetic...

Final Test

Revision Tests