Essay Sample on Modern Computer System

Introduction

A modern computer system is composed of the following elements: hardware, software, data, and a communication component. A combination of the above-mentioned elements assembles to make a perfectly working computer system. The elements are the basic components of any modern computer that exists, that is from play station to laptop to mobile phone or even an office mainframe. Since the discovery of computers, research and innovation have led to great changes that have made computers to be faster, accurate and more reliable. Currently, scientists have even made an intelligent computer that can operate without human workmanship. Despite all the advances and the changes that have made over the centuries, the basic components of the computer remain the same. The difference is on how they have been made to be more efficient so as to increase the efficacy of the current devices that are available in the market. The paper intends to open a discourse on the components of a modern computer system as per the von Neumann Architecture.

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The Von Neumann Architecture was first described by a mathematician known as John Von Neumann in the year 1945. The architectural components of modern computers have followed the architectural design that was described by John Von Neumann in 1940s. the architectural design described by John Von is a computer that posses a single processor, has memory for data and basic instruction and is able to execute programs by following one instruction after the other in a fetch-decode-execute manner. The main component can, therefore, be listed as

• Processing Unit (CPU)
• The Memory
• Input devices
• Output devices
• System bus
• A computer program (software)

Image showing the John von Neumann's structural components of the computer system

Central Processing Unit

According to John Von the processing unit should have the following parts; arithmetic logic unit, control unit, registers, and the clock. However, with advancement in technology, the current central processing unit is composed of the arithmetic logic unit (ALC), Random-access memory, control unit, and the register. The four components of the processing unit are vital in manipulating data when the computer is working. This part of the paper will discourse the significance of each part of the processing unit which is also famously known as the central processing unit.

Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

ALU is the most vital component of the computer as it is the part that is concerned with logic operations and all the arithmetic that the computers do on the data provided. The Arithmetic Logic Unit processes data as per instructions that are sent by the user. It is organized in terms of bits (word length) and the more the bits the faster the working of the computer. Contemporary computer world makes computers with either 32-bit word length or 64-bit word length in their processors. However, it is important to note that the word length does not influence data that a computer can manipulate but it affects the time the computer takes to compute the provided data. For instance, a 64-bit processor will be faster than a 32-bit processor since it has longer word length. working of the processor is demonstrated below.

Word length of the processor = 32-bit words takes 2 adds to add 64-bit numbers.

Word length of the processor = 64-bit words takes 1 add to add the same 64-bit numbers.

Word length of the processor = 16-bit words takes 4 adds to add a 64-bit number.

From the demonstration, it is clear that the more the bit the lesser the adds hence the faster the rate of computation, therefore a 64-bit processor is faster than a 32-bit processor.

Additionally, the central processing unit also performs all the arithmetic operations such as multiplying, adding, dividing, not and or plus other mathematical operations that are installed.

Control Unit

The control unit in the central processing unit is tasked with fetching data that the user has entered an instruction then channeling them for the central processing unit to execute the instruction. Instruction to the control unit is entered through the use of input hardwires of a computer. Control unit decodes the instruction sent from hardware and channels it to the central processing unit. It manages the central processing unit by allowing the FSM to direct and implement most of the instructions. FSM works on the basis of the clock-based cycle that uses step by step processing ability. The cycle employs the instruction register, clock signal, and the reset signal. The components of the control unit are program counter (instruction pointer IP) and the instruction register IR.

The Registers

This is fast memory circuits that hold data such as information about current instruction being executed and the next instruction to be executed. The part that holds s current instruction is referred to as current instruction register, it holds data of arithmetic operation being executed also referred to as accumulators. The register that holds the instruction that has already been executed is referred to as the status register. When the user interrupts an operation that was being undertaken such information is stored in the interrupt register. The significance of the register is to hold information that is being executed at each level during arithmetic and logical operation in the central processing unit.

Execution of Instruction Computer

Von Neumann's computer system executes instruction through the use of a software, a software is a program that is written to solve a given problem. For instance, C language is the main language that is used to write executable programs in Von Neumann's computer system an example of such program is written below.

Program for adding two numbers

#include <stdio.h>

main ()

{

Int x =10, y = 12;

W= x+y;

Printf(w)

}

The program adds 10 to 12 and give one 22. It is a simple program that ALU uses to add numbers. Provided one gives the value of X and Y.

The program written above is first converted to machine language after which the central processing unit register to handle the operation. Machine language is one byte long and its written inform of zeros and ones. For instance, 00000000 is a language that computer will interpret as an off switch to stop a program, 0000001 is an on the switch. A computer system first converts executable programs to machine language in CPU before operating them. Software's are built on top of machine language.

The Control Unit Clock

Instruction that is being executed by the computer is registered in beats. The speed of the computer depends on how fast the clock beats as per the amount of instruction that the computer is working on. The faster the clock beats the faster the computer will analyze the logic that the user gives it.

The Random-access Memory

It is the primary memory of the computer and thus it can be accessed directly by the central processing unit and it's very fast as compared to the hard drive. In Von Neumann architecture the memory is referred to as the immediate access store (IAS). The immediate access store works as a program and it can also operate as data (stored information). It is made of several boxes whose main job is to store bits in a unique pattern. The Boxes in Random-access memory have unique identifier or addresses making them capable of either storing data or operators and their operands. The Memory is so efficient in that it can differentiate bit patterns and be able to correctly note where each bit is stored in the unique identifier boxes inside the immediate access memory. Before the Von Neumann's computer system, the previous computers used to split the Random-access memory into data memory and program memory. The split made such computer system to be complex and thus took more time to compute the instruction sent by the user. The current modern computer that uses the Von Neumann's computer system does not split data memory and program memory. There the system does not differentiate between the instruction being sent by the computer user and the piece of data. This makes the Von Neumann's computer system to be fast in execution as it focuses its memory on managing data and also running the programs that are giving instruction on the data being managed.

System Bus

System buses are the main means through which data being worked on by the computer is transmitted from one component of the computer to the other. The system buses connect all the components of the computer to the central processing unit of the computer. Standard system bus that connects the central processing unit has the following components

Address Buss; which is the part that relays the addresses of information between the main memory and the processor.

Data Bus; it is the part of the bus that connects the input and output devices with central processing units and the main memory. Therefore, it relays information from the input units into the processor and the memory or takes information from the memory and processor and displays it into the output units.

Control Bus; has the important function of controlling the flow of data and set off with the computer system. It controls the instructions that flow from the other components into the central processing unit of the computer.

The system bus is vital in enabling the central processing unit to access where each specific memory is stored and also in enabling the central processing unit to store data.

Input and Output devices

Input and output devices are structures within the computer that enable the user to either instruct the computer or get an output from an instruction given to the computer. Input devices are gateways that enable the user to ship information into the computer. As per the Von Neumann's computer system, the main input devices are; the keyboard, the mouse, CD, floppy disk and flash disk. They provide a means of shipping information or instruction into the computer. The main output devices include the monitor and the printer, they enable the user to get data and worker information from the computer to the user. The modern computer system has input and output ports where data can be managed as per the needs of the user. The ports prevent one from connecting the I/O devices directly to the central processing since it will require one to redesign central processing unit all the time for the direct connection to be possible. Direct connection of either input or output device require redesigning of the central processing unit and that is why the ports for input and output devices are vital in a computer system. Additionally, any new device that connects directly to the central processing unit might be using a higher or lower voltage than the central processing unit this makes it necessary for the user to redesign the central processing unit. Therefore, the Von Neumann's computer system has input and output controllers that play the role of interfacing between the central processing unit and the I/O device being used. The diagram below shows the connection between the input and output devices and the central processing unit through the system bus (control bus).

Conclusion

The Von Neumann's computer system has the basic components that a computer needs to function and handle set commands. The main components in the system are the central processing unit, the memory and input/output devices. The components work in unison to realize the functionality of a computer.

References

Huang, G.B., 2015. What are extreme learning machines? Filling the gap between Frank Rosenblatt's drea...