L2 types-of-computers

General Aspects of Computer Organization(Lecture-2)

R S Ananda Murthy

Associate ProfessorDepartment of Electrical & Electronics Engineering,

Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering,Mysore 570 006

R S Ananda Murthy General Aspects of Computer Organization

Specific Learning Outcomes

After completing this lecture the student should be able to –Describe different types of computers.Distinguish between embedded system and a generalpurpose computer.Briefly describe the evolution of x86, ARM and AVR familyof computers.


Current Spectrum of Computers

Type Example Applications

Disposable Computers Greeting cards, RFID applications

Microcontrollers Watches, cars, appliances

Mobile and Game Computers Home video games and smart phones

Personal Computers Desktop or notebook computer

Servers Network servers

Mainframe Computers Batch data processing in a bank

Source: Andrew S Tanenbaum and Todd Austin,“Structured Computer Organization”, 6th Edition, p. 31


Disposable Computers

Singing greeting cards, shown on the left side, have singlechips powered by battery.Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) chips smaller than0.5 mm×0.5 mm, shown on the right side, contain tinyradio transponder and a built-in unique 128-bit ID number.RFID chips are powered by the incoming radio signal longenough to transmit the ID number to the querying antenna.


Microcontrollers

Embedded systems have single-chip computers known asmicrocontrollers.Microcontrollers are available in different packages asshown above.Microcontrollers come with word lengths of 4-bit, 8-bit,16-bit, and 32-bit.


What is an Embedded System?

Any device or equipment having a special purposecomputer which is not a general purpose computer withassociated hardware and software that is designed toperform a dedicated task.Hardware and software which may be part of a largersystem which is expected to function without humanintervention.A system that can monitor and/or control externalenvironment with sensors and actuators.Most of the embedded systems operate in real time.


Examples of Embedded Systems

A digital camera uses a 32-bit microcontroller.



A cell phone uses a 32-bit microcontroller.



A microwave oven uses a 16-bit or 32-bit microcontroller.



A vending machine uses an 8-bit or 16-bit microcontroller.



An ATM uses a 32-bit microcontroller.



A washing machine uses a 16-bit microcontroller.



A printer uses a 16-bit microcontroller.



A modern car uses several 32-bit microcontrollers.



This robot uses a 64-bit processor.



This DVD player uses a 32-bit processor.



This smart energy meter uses a 32-bit processor.


What is Not an Embedded System?

A general purpose computer is NOT an embedded system.


Features of Gaming Computers

64-bit multiple core CPU operating at high clock speed,more R/W memory, large high speed secondary storage,high speed Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), additionalinput devices like joysticks, large HD monitor, good qualityspeakers.


Typical Features of Servers

64-bit multiple processors fault-tolerant architectureoperating at high clock speed, more R/W memory, largehigh speed secondary storage, remote configurationcapability with high speed connectivity.


Mainframes

These are old room-sized computers with huge datastorage capability, running typically 40-50 years old legacysoftware.


Supercomputers

Multiple processors fault-tolerant parallel processingarchitecture operating at high clock speed, more R/Wmemory, large high speed secondary storage, remoteconfiguration capability with high speed connectivity.


Computer Families – x86, ARM, AVR

Nearly all PC’s (including Windows, Linux PCs and Macs)and server systems belong to x86 family which wasoriginally started by Intel Corporation.The ARM architecture dominates the mobile market. Forexample, most smartphones and tablet computers arebased on ARM processors.The AVR architecture is now predominant in low-costmicrocontrollers used in many embedded systems likewashing machines, televisions, cars, microwave ovens etc.


Founders of Intel Corporation

Andy Grove, Robert Noyce, and Gordon Moore (Source: Intel)


Evolution of Intel x86 Family

Source: A. S.Tanenbaum and Todd Austin, “StructuredComputer Organization”, p. 40, 6th Edition, PHI, 2013.


Evolution of ARM Architecture

In early 1980s, U.K.-based company Acron Computermakes successful launch of BBC Micro Personal Computerwhich had an an 8-bit microprocessor, called 6502,manufactured by a company called MOS Technology, asCPU.In 1985, Acron released their own 32-bit CPU with 26-bitaddress bus, called Acron-RISC Machine (ARM) whichborrowed ideas from Berkeley RISC project.Acron released their PC called Archimedes based on ARMCPU. This became very popular.Acron-RISC Machine was renamed as Advanced RISCMachine (ARM) when ARM developers at Acron left thecompany and started their own company called ARM.


Evolution of ARM Architecture

In 1993 Apple releases its Newton computer which usedARM 610 CPU.In mid 1990s, ARM collaborated with Digital EquipmentCorporation (DEC) to develop a high-speed, low-powerversion ARM called StrongARM for applications inlow-power hand-held devices.In 1994 ARM7 architecture was released which is widelyused even today in mobile devices.At present ARM does not manufacture any processors butcreates designs and ARM-based developer tools andlibraries and licenses them to system designers and chipmanufacturers.


Evolution of AVR Architecture

In 1996, at Norwegian Institute of Technology, studentsAlf-Egil Bogen and Vegard Wollan designed an 8-bit RISCCPU chip called AVR (Alf and Vegard’s RISC).Atmel Norway bought AVR design and in 1997 releasedtheir first AVR microcontroller AT90S1200 which waspin-compatible with Intel 8051 which was the most popularmicrocontroller at that time.Arduino was started in 2005 as a project to developlow-cost development boards for students by MassimoBanzi and David Cuartielles at the Interaction DesignInstitute, Ivrea, Italy.Arduino makes AVR architecture very popolar in low-endembedded system applications.


Microcontroller Classes in the AVR Family

Source: A. S.Tanenbaum and Todd Austin, “StructuredComputer Organization”, p. 48, 6th Edition, PHI, 2013.


License

This work is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


L2 types-of-computers

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