CPU

 CPU

T

he Central Processing Unit (CPU) or processor is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, and is the primary element carrying out the computer's functions. This term has been in use in the computer industry at least since the early 1960s. The form, design and implementation of CPUs have changed dramatically since the earliest examples, but their fundamental operation remains much the same.

The control system's functions are as follows:

1.     Read the code for the next instruction from the cell indicated by the program counter.

2.     Decode the numerical code for the instruction into a set of commands or signals for each of the other systems.

3.     Increment the program counter so it points to the next instruction.

4.     Read whatever data the instruction requires from an input device. The location of this required data is typically stored within the instruction code.

5.     Provide the necessary data to an ALU or register.

6.     If the instruction requires an ALU or specialized hardware to complete, instruct the hardware to perform the requested operation.

7.     Write the result from the ALU back to a memory location or to a register or perhaps an output device.