Diagram of the architecture of a personal computer with a detailed description. What is computer architecture

PERSONAL COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE. PURPOSE OF MAIN KNOTS. COMPUTER FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Computer- it's multifunctional electronic device, intended for the accumulation, processing and transmission of information. Under personal computer architecture is understood as its logical organization, structure and resources, i.e. the means of a computing system that can be allocated to the data processing process for a certain time interval.

The construction of most computers is based on the principles formulated by John von Neumann.

The principle of program control - a program consists of a set of commands that are executed by the processor automatically one after another in a certain sequence.
The principle of memory homogeneity - programs and others are stored in the same memory; You can perform the same actions on commands as on data!
The principle of addressing - the main memory is structurally composed of numbered cells.

Computers built on these principles have a classical architecture.

The computer architecture determines the principle of operation, information connections and interconnection of the main logical nodes of the computer, which include:

CPU;
main memory;
external memory;
peripherals.

Structurally, personal computers are made in the form of a central system unit, to which other devices are connected through special connectors. The system unit includes all the main components of the computer:

motherboard;
power unit;
hard disk drive;
floppy disk drive;
optical disk drive;
connectors for additional devices.

The system (motherboard) board, in turn, contains:

microprocessor;
mathematical coprocessor;
clock generator;
memory chips;
external device controllers;
sound and video cards;
timer.

The architecture of modern personal computers is based on the backbone-modular principle.

The modular principle allows the user to assemble the computer configuration he needs and, if necessary, upgrade it. The modular organization of the system is based on the main principle of information exchange. All device controllers interact with the microprocessor and RAM through a system data bus called the system bus. The system bus is made in the form of a printed bridge on the motherboard.

Microprocessor- this is the central unit of a personal computer, designed to control the operation of all blocks of the machine and to perform arithmetic and logical operations on information.

System bus
is the main interface system of a computer, ensuring the pairing and communication of all its devices with each other. The system bus provides three directions of information transfer:
between the microprocessor and main memory;

between the microprocessor and the input/output ports of external devices; between the main memory and the I/O ports of external devices.

I/O ports All devices are connected to the bus through appropriate connectors (slots) either directly or through special controllers (adapters).

Main memoryь is designed for storing and promptly exchanging information with other computer units.

External memoryь is used for long-term storage of information that can be later used to solve problems. A clock generator generates a sequence of electrical symbols whose frequency sets the clock speed of the computer. The time interval between adjacent pulses determines the operating cycle of the machine.

Power supply- this is a block containing autonomous and mains power systems for a computer. Timer- these are in-machine

Digital Watch

, providing automatic recording of the current moment in time. The timer is connected to an autonomous power source and continues to work when the computer is disconnected from the network.

External computer devices ensure the interaction of the machine with the environment: users, control objects and other computers.The main functional characteristics of a personal computer are:
performance, speed, clock speed.Bit capacity is the maximum number of bits of a binary number on which a machine operation can be simultaneously performed, including the operation of transmitting information; the higher the bit depth, theall other things being equal, the PC performance will be greater;
types of system and local interfaces. Different types interfaces provide different speeds of information transfer between machine nodes, allow you to connect different quantities external devices and their various types;
RAM capacity.RAM capacity is usually measured in MB. Many modern application programs with RAM, having a capacity of less than 16 MB, simply do not work or work, but very slowly;
capacity of a hard disk drive (hard drive).Hard drive capacity is usually measured in GB;
type and capacity of floppy disk drives.Currently, floppy disk drives are used, using floppy disks with a diameter of 3.5 inches, having a standard capacity of 1.44 MB;
availability, types and capacity of cache memory.Cache memory is a buffered, user-accessible, high-speed memory that is automatically used by the computer to speed up operations with information stored in slower storage devices. The presence of a 256 KB cache memory increases the performance of a personal computer by approximately 20%;
type of video monitor and video adapter;
availability and type of printer;
presence and type of CD-ROM drive;
presence and type of modem;
availability and types of multimedia audio-video tools;
available software and view operating system;
hardware and software compatibility with other types of computers.Hardware and software compatibility with other types of computers means the ability to use on a computer, respectively, the same technical elements and software as on other types of machines;
ability to work in a computer network;
ability to work in multitasking mode. Multitasking mode allows you to perform calculations simultaneously using several programs (manyprogram mode) or for several users (multi-user mode);
reliability. Reliability is the ability of a system to perform fully and correctly all the functions assigned to it;
price;
dimensions weight.

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State budgetary educational institution

Secondary vocational education

Rostov region

"Rostov Construction College"

on the topic: “PC Architecture”

Work completed:

Student of group A-21

Pavlova N.V.

Rostov-on-Don 2014

Introduction

1. The concept of a personal computer

2. The concept of personal computer architecture

3. Internal devices of a personal computer

4. External devices of a personal computer

Introduction computer microprocessor logic

The rapid development of information technologies and their main technical base - computers, leads to greater saturation of almost all areas of human activity with them. In these conditions, a student needs to know the basics of computer hardware, its basic technical characteristics and functionality. Such knowledge makes it possible to more consciously make choices, organize maintenance, modernize personal computers, plan the development of a computer both for personal use and for professional use, which is the most relevant.

A computer is a programmable electronic device capable of processing data and performing calculations and other symbol manipulation tasks.

A computer is a multifunctional electronic device for storing, processing and transmitting information

The architecture of a personal computer is the layout of its main parts, such as the processor, RAM, video subsystem, disk system, peripheral devices and input/output devices.

The PC architecture determines the principle of operation, information connections and interconnection of the main logical nodes of the computer:

Central processor;

Main memory;

External memory;

Peripheral devices.

1. Computer internals

v The most important element in a computer, its “brain,” is the microprocessor. A microprocessor is an electronic circuit that performs all information processing functions and controls all computer blocks. Structurally, it is one crystal 4-6 cm2.

The microprocessor includes the following blocks:

1. An Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) is a device that performs logical and arithmetic operations in the binary number system.

2. Microprocessor memory is a memory of registers in which data and their addresses are stored

3. Cache memory - fast memory improves microprocessor performance by buffering frequently used instructions

4. Control device(UU) - this device provides a multitasking mode, which facilitates the organization of computer operation, in which its memory simultaneously contains programs and data for solving several tasks. Multitasking is carried out due to the interrupt system and memory protection

5. Microprocessor backbone - it is designed to exchange information between microprocessor blocks.

Microprocessor interface system - implements pairing and communication with other PC devices; includes an internal MP interface, buffer storage registers and control circuits for input/output ports (I/O) and the system bus.

v Storage also plays an important role in a computer.

A storage device is a computer block designed for temporary (random access memory) and long-term (read-only memory) storage of programs, input and output data, as well as intermediate results.

Types of ZPU:

1. RAM (random access memory) is a fast-acting storage device of a relatively small volume in which the currently running program and its data are stored.

2. Cache memory is an ultra-fast memory designed to store intermediate results.

3. ROM (read-only memory) - this memory is designed to store system and auxiliary programs (Bios), it is non-volatile, but the data exchange speed in the vast majority of cases is much lower.

v Bus - a system board that provides input/output of information. The characteristic of the bus is the exchange speed. Main bus types (arranged in order of performance improvement): ISA, EISA, VESA, PCI, AGP. Connectors-"slots" of the PCI standard were born about 10 years ago and today are the main standard for slots for connecting additional devices.

The system bus includes:

code data bus (CDB), containing wires and interfacing circuits for parallel transmission of all bits of the numeric code (machine word) of the operand;

address code bus (ACBA), which includes wires and interface circuits for parallel transmission of all bits of the address code of a main memory cell or an input/output port of an external device;

code instruction bus (IBC), containing wires and interface circuits for transmitting instructions (control signals, pulses) to all blocks of the machine;

a power bus that has wires and interface circuits for connecting PC units to the power supply system.

The system bus provides three directions of information transfer:

Between the microprocessor and main memory;

Between the microprocessor and the input/output ports of external devices;

Between main memory and external device I/O ports (in DMA mode)

v HDD(hard drive, HDD) - designed for permanent storage of information used when operating a computer: operating system, documents, games, etc. The main characteristics of a hard drive are its capacity, measured in gigabytes (GB), data read speed, average access time, cache memory size. Information is stored on one or more round plates with a magnetic layer, over which magnetic recording heads fly. Hard drives are connected to the motherboard using special cables, each of which is designed for two devices.

v A compact disc drive (CD-ROM) is designed to read recordings on compact discs. The advantages of the device are large disk capacity, fast access, reliability, versatility, low cost. The main concept that characterizes the operation of this device is speed. The very first CD-ROMs were 1-speed. Now there are 52-speed CD-ROMs. What does 52 speed drive mean? This means that it reads data 52 times faster than the very first 1-speed (150 Kb/s) CD-ROM. Therefore, we multiply 52 by 150... 7800 kilobytes per second! The main disadvantage of standard CD-ROM drives is their inability to record information.

This requires other devices:

CD-R is a disk drive with the ability to write information once onto a special disk; in Russia they are called “blanks”. Recording on these discs is carried out due to the presence of a special photosensitive layer on them, which burns out under the influence of a high-temperature laser beam.

CD-RW is a disk drive with the ability to record information multiple times. This device works on a completely different principle and with completely different discs than CD-Rs.

Recently, DVD-ROM, a device designed for reading DVD format discs, has become increasingly widespread.

v BIOS (Basic Input - Output System) - basic system I/O - a chip installed on the motherboard. This is where the basic computer settings are stored. Using the BIOS, you can change the speed of the processor, operating parameters for other internal and some external devices of the computer. BIOS is the first and most important of the bridges that connects the hardware and software of the computer. Therefore, for modern BIOS, many important features are the ability to update it, work with the Plag&Play standard, and the ability to boot a computer from a CD-ROM, network, and ZIP drives.

v Power supply. This is a block containing autonomous and network power supply systems for a PC.

v Timer. This is an in-machine electronic clock that provides, if necessary, automatic recording of the current moment in time (year, month, hours, minutes, seconds and fractions of seconds). The timer is connected to an autonomous power source - a battery and continues to work when the machine is disconnected from the network.

2. External computer devices

v Keyboard - a device designed to enter information from the user into a computer. A modern keyboard consists of 104 keys mounted in a single housing.

v Mouse - a manipulator for entering information into a computer. It is necessary for working with graphics packages, drawings, when developing diagrams and when working in new operating systems.

v Joystick - a manipulator in the form of a handle mounted on a hinge with buttons, used in computer games.

v Monitor (display) - a device designed to display text and graphic information on the screen.

v Printer is a device designed to output text and graphic information on paper. There are matrix, inkjet and laser printers (arranged in order of improvement in print quality and speed). Printers are available in color (inkjet and laser) and black and white (matrix and laser).

v Scanner - a device for entering text and graphic information into a computer. Scanners can be hand-held, desktop flatbed, or even floor-mounted.

v Plotter is a device that allows you to display graphic information on paper or other media. Typical tasks for plotters - making various drawings, diagrams, drawings, graphs, maps, etc.

v Modem (modulator-demodulator) is a device that allows a computer to communicate with another computer via telephone lines. In my own way appearance and the installation location, modems are divided into internal (internal) and external (external). Internal modems are an electronic board installed directly into the computer, while external modems are a stand-alone device connected to one of the ports. An external modem costs more than an internal modem of the same type due to its visual appeal and easier installation. The main parameter in modem operation is the data transfer speed.

Conclusion

The development of the electronics industry and computer engineering is carried out at such a rapid pace that literally in 1-2 years, today's “miracle of technology” becomes morally obsolete. However, the principles of a computer have remained unchanged since the famous mathematician John von Neumann in 1945 prepared a report on the design and functioning of universal computing devices, i.e. computers.

1. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki

2. http://imcs.dvfu.ru/lib/eastprog/architecture.html

3. http://rechkate.ru/informatika/arhitektura-pk

4. http://www.lessons-tva.info/edu/e-inf1/e-inf1-2-2.html

5. http://wiki.kem-edu.ru/index.php

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LECTURE 3

A PERSONAL COMPUTER (abbreviated as PC or PC, pronounced “pi-si”, English Personal Computer) IS A SMALL COMPUTER ORIENTED AT A NON-SPECIALIST IN COMPUTING ENGINEERING. Before the advent of personal computers, engineers, scientists, economists, and representatives of other professions communicated with computers only with the help of intermediaries - engineers, systems engineers and programmers, since working on old types of computers required special training. With the advent of personal computers, the need for such mediation disappeared, since the process of communication with a computer was significantly simplified. In addition, their prices have decreased. In this regard, personal computers have become as commonplace in the workplaces of engineers, scientists, secretaries and managers as, for example, telephones.

ARCHITECTURE IS A DESCRIPTION OF A COMPLEX SYSTEM CONSISTING OF MULTIPLE ELEMENTS AS A SINGLE WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE SINGLE WHOLE SINGLE WHOLE SINGLE WHOLE SYSTEM.

Modular organization of the information system based on the backbone principle of information exchange. PC devices are separate modules that are connected to the bus using controllers and which are controlled at the software level by special programs - device drivers. Controllers for one or more devices are mounted on separate boards called adapters. It is the controller that receives the signal from the processor and decrypts it for this device. Thus, it is not the processor, but the controller that is responsible for the operation of a particular device, which allows you to freely change external computer devices. The modular principle allows you to connect and replace peripheral devices, increase internal memory, replace the microprocessor, i.e. allows the user to assemble his own the desired configuration computer or upgrade it.

A PC has two main components - hardware and software.

Hardware personal computer - the hardware that makes up a computer. All devices that make up the hardware of a personal computer are interconnected, each of them performs its own function, and, in general, ensures complete processing of all types of data using a PC.

External architecture Computers are those devices that are seen by people who use computers for their own purposes. The main devices include:

§ system unit;

§ monitor;

§ keyboard;

§ manipulators; printers; scanners; network hardware .

Interior architecture Computers are those devices that provide processes for accumulating, processing, storing, presenting and transmitting information within a machine. Most of them are located in the system unit. Below is a block diagram of the internal architecture of the PC.

Highway- these are conductors that connect all computer devices with each other. Both control signals and data are transmitted along the highway from one device to another, which ensures their interaction in the process of information processing.

Controllers- These are electronic circuits that provide control of computer devices.

The concept of architecture is usually associated with something beautiful. This is not entirely true. The architect directs his efforts to ensure that the building or complex of buildings is not only beautiful, but also easy to use, reliable, economical, easy and quick to construct, and safe. In computing, architecture determines the composition, purpose, logical organization and order of interaction of all hardware and software combined into a single computing system. In other words, architecture describes how the computer is presented to the user.

The production of personal computers was first launched in 1975 by the American company APPLE (pronounced “apple”). Its founder, Steve Jobs, built his first personal computer in his father's garage. The initial capital of his company did not exceed a thousand dollars, but less than ten years later it exceeded a billion dollars - the demand for its products was so high. In 1981, the first personal computers from IBM (pronounced “ay-bee-um”) appeared. They were cheaper and used the latest developments from several other companies, in particular software from MICROSOFT (pronounced "Microsoft"). Machines of this type (they were and are produced not only by IBM, moreover, this company has not stood out among thousands of others since then) within one and a half to two years they took a leading position in the market. In 1991, APPLE computers (renamed Macintosh) accounted for only 4% of sales.

MODERN PERSONAL COMPUTERS TYPICALLY USE AN OPEN ARCHITECTURE. IT IS THAT THE DEVICES DIRECTLY PARTICIPATING IN INFORMATION PROCESSING (PROCESSOR, COPROCESSOR, RAM) ARE CONNECTED WITH THE REST OF THE DEVICES BY A SINGLE BACKWAY – THE BUS. DEVICES CONNECTED WITH THE PROCESSOR THROUGH THE BUS, AND NOT DIRECTLY, ARE CALLED PERIPHERAL (pay attention to how this word is spelled!) The bus is a data transmission channel in the form of conductors on printed circuit board or multi-core cable.

In this diagram, the bus is depicted as a double-headed arrow to indicate that information on it moves both from the processor to the peripheral devices and in the opposite direction. Black squares indicate connectors. The diagram is symbolic, illustrating only the basic principles of a modern computer, therefore a number of devices, in particular the video adapter, are not shown here.

THE PROCESSOR, COPROCESSOR, MEMORY AND BUS WITH CONNECTORS FOR CONNECTING PERIPHERAL DEVICES ARE PLACED ON A SINGLE BOARD CALLED MOTHER OR MAINBOARD:

If you open the computer case, you can see a large board on which microcircuits, other electronic devices and connectors (slots) are inserted, into which other boards are inserted and to which other devices are connected via cables. This is the motherboard.

CONFIGURATION – COMPOSITION OF DEVICES CONNECTED TO THE COMPUTER.

PORT – POINT OF CONNECTION OF AN EXTERNAL DEVICE TO THE COMPUTER.

Why is a computer designed this way? Because in this case it turns into something like a children's construction set - it can be assembled from any devices available on the market (including those produced by various companies).

THE ADVANTAGES OF OPEN ARCHITECTURE ARE THAT THE USER IS ABLE TO:

1) SELECT COMPUTER CONFIGURATION. Indeed, if you do not need a printer, or do not have enough money to purchase one, no one is forcing you to buy it along with a new computer. Previously, it was not like this - all devices were sold as a single set, and of some specific type, so that it was impossible to select or replace something.

2) EXPAND THE SYSTEM BY CONNECTING NEW DEVICES TO IT. For example, having saved up money and bought a printer, you can easily connect it to your computer.

3) UPGRADE THE SYSTEM BY REPLACING ANY OF THE DEVICES WITH A NEWER one. Indeed, you don’t need to throw away your entire computer to do this! It is enough to connect another instead of one device. In particular, you can replace the motherboard to turn a computer based on an old type of processor into a computer based on a new type of processor.

PERSONAL COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE. PURPOSE OF MAIN KNOTS. COMPUTER FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

Computer is a multifunctional electronic device designed for storing, processing and transmitting information. Under personal computer architecture is understood as its logical organization, structure and resources, i.e. the means of a computing system that can be allocated to the data processing process for a certain time interval.

The construction of most computers is based on the principles formulated by John von Neumann.

The principle of program control - a program consists of a set of commands that are executed by the processor automatically one after another in a certain sequence.
The principle of memory homogeneity - programs and others are stored in the same memory; You can perform the same actions on commands as on data!
The principle of addressing - the main memory is structurally composed of numbered cells.

Computers built on these principles have a classical architecture.

The computer architecture determines the principle of operation, information connections and interconnection of the main logical nodes of the computer, which include:

CPU;
main memory;
external memory;
peripherals.

motherboard;
power unit;
hard disk drive;
floppy disk drive;
optical disk drive;
connectors for additional devices.

The system (motherboard) board, in turn, contains:

microprocessor;
mathematical coprocessor;
clock generator;
memory chips;
external device controllers;
sound and video cards;
timer.

The architecture of modern personal computers is based on the backbone-modular principle.

Microprocessor- this is the central unit of a personal computer, designed to control the operation of all blocks of the machine and to perform arithmetic and logical operations on information.

System bus
is the main interface system of a computer, ensuring the pairing and communication of all its devices with each other. The system bus provides three directions of information transfer:
between the microprocessor and main memory;

between the microprocessor and the input/output ports of external devices; between the main memory and the I/O ports of external devices.

I/O ports All devices are connected to the bus through appropriate connectors (slots) either directly or through special controllers (adapters).

Main memoryь is designed for storing and promptly exchanging information with other computer units.

Power supply is an in-machine electronic clock that provides automatic recording of the current moment in time. The timer is connected to an autonomous power source and continues to work when the computer is disconnected from the network.

Digital Watch

, providing automatic recording of the current moment in time. The timer is connected to an autonomous power source and continues to work when the computer is disconnected from the network.

External computer devices ensure the interaction of the machine with the environment: users, control objects and other computers.The main functional characteristics of a personal computer are:
performance, speed, clock speed.Bit capacity is the maximum number of bits of a binary number on which a machine operation can be simultaneously performed, including the operation of transmitting information; the higher the bit depth, theall other things being equal, the PC performance will be greater;
types of system and local interfaces.Different types of interfaces provide different speeds of information transfer between machine nodes, allow you to connect a different number of external devices and their different types;
RAM capacity.RAM capacity is usually measured in MB. Many modern application programs with RAM having a capacity of less than 16 MB simply do not work or work, but very slowly;
capacity of a hard disk drive (hard drive).Hard drive capacity is usually measured in GB;
type and capacity of floppy disk drives.Currently, floppy disk drives are used, using floppy disks with a diameter of 3.5 inches, having a standard capacity of 1.44 MB;
availability, types and capacity of cache memory.Cache memory is a buffered, user-accessible, high-speed memory that is automatically used by the computer to speed up operations with information stored in slower storage devices. The presence of a 256 KB cache memory increases the performance of a personal computer by approximately 20%;
type of video monitor and video adapter;
availability and type of printer;
presence and type of CD-ROM drive;
presence and type of modem;
availability and types of multimedia audio-video tools;
available software and type of operating system;
hardware and software compatibility with other types of computers.Hardware and software compatibility with other types of computers means the ability to use on a computer, respectively, the same technical elements and software as on other types of machines;
ability to work in a computer network;
ability to work in multitasking mode. Multitasking mode allows you to perform calculations simultaneously using several programs (manyprogram mode) or for several users (multi-user mode);
reliability. Reliability is the ability of a system to perform fully and correctly all the functions assigned to it;
price;
dimensions weight.

Personal computer architecture

Introduction

A computer is a programmable electronic device capable of processing data and performing calculations, as well as performing other symbol manipulation tasks.

There are two main classes of computers:

digital computers that process data in the form of numeric binary codes;
analog computers that process continuously changing physical quantities (electrical voltage, time, etc.) that are analogues of calculated quantities.

Since currently the vast majority of computers are digital, we will further consider only this class of computers and use the word “computer” to mean “digital computer.” The basis of computers is formed by hardware (HardWare), built mainly using electronic and electromechanical elements and devices. The principle of operation of computers is to execute programs (SoftWare) - predetermined, clearly defined sequences of arithmetic, logical and other operations.

Any computer program is a sequence of individual commands. A command is a description of an operation that the computer must perform. As a rule, the command has its own code ( symbol), source data (operands) and result. For example, the command “add two numbers” has the operands of the terms, and the result is their sum. But the “stop” command has no operands, and the result is the termination of the program. The result of the command is generated according to the rules precisely defined for this command, embedded in the design of the computer. The set of commands executed by a given computer is called the command system of that computer.

Computers operate at very high speeds, ranging from millions to hundreds of millions of operations per second.

Personal computers, more than any other type of computer, contribute to the transition to new computer information technology, which are characterized by:

friendly information, software and technical interface with the user;
performance information processes in dialogue mode with the user;
end-to-end information support for all processes based on integrated databases;
so-called “paperless technology”.

A computer is a multifunctional electronic device for storing, processing and transmitting information. Computer architecture refers to its logical organization, structure and resources, i.e., the means of a computing system that can be allocated to the data processing process for a certain period of time.

The construction of most computers is based on the principles formulated in 1945 by John von Neumann:

The principle of program control (a program consists of a set of commands that are executed by the processor automatically one after another in a certain sequence).
The principle of memory homogeneity (programs and data are stored in the same memory; commands can be processed in the same way as data).
The principle of addressing (the main memory is structurally composed of numbered cells).

Computers built on these principles have a classical architecture (von Neumann architecture). The PC architecture determines the principle of operation, information connections and interconnection of the main logical nodes of the computer:

central processor;
main memory;
external memory;
peripheral devices.

The main electronic components that determine the processor architecture are located on the main computer board, which is called the system board or MotherBoard. And controllers and adapters of additional devices, or these devices themselves, are made in the form of expansion boards (DaughterBoard - daughter board) and are connected to the bus using expansion connectors, also called expansion slots (English slot - slot, groove)

Functional and structural organization

Basic PC blocks and their meaning

The architecture of a computer is usually determined by the set of its properties that are important to the user. The main attention is paid to the structure and functionality machines that can be divided into main and additional. The main functions determine the purpose of the computer: processing and storing information, exchanging information with external objects. Additional functions increase the efficiency of performing basic functions: provide effective modes of its operation, dialogue with the user, high reliability, etc. The named functions of the computer are implemented using its components: hardware and software.

The structure of a computer is a certain model that establishes the composition, order and principles of interaction of its components. A personal computer is a desktop or laptop computer that meets the requirements of general accessibility and universality of use. The advantages of a PC are:

low cost, within the reach of an individual buyer;
autonomy of operation without special requirements for conditions environment;
flexibility of architecture, ensuring its adaptability to a variety of applications in the field of management, science, education, and everyday life;
the “friendliness” of the operating system and other software, which makes it possible for the user to work with it without special professional training;
high operational reliability (more than 5 thousand hours between failures).

Structure of a personal computer

Let's consider the composition and purpose of the main PC blocks.

A microprocessor (MP) is the central unit of a PC, designed to control the operation of all machine blocks and to perform arithmetic and logical operations on information.

The microprocessor includes:

control device (CU) - generates and supplies to all units of the machine in the right moments time-determined control signals (control pulses), determined by the specifics of the operation being performed and the results of previous operations; generates addresses of memory cells used by the operation being performed and transmits these addresses to the corresponding computer blocks; the control device receives a reference sequence of pulses from the clock pulse generator;
arithmetic-logical unit (ALU) - designed to perform all arithmetic and logical operations on numerical and symbolic information (in some PC models, an additional mathematical coprocessor is connected to the ALU to speed up the execution of operations);
microprocessor memory (MPM) - serves for short-term recording and output of information directly used in calculations in the next cycles of machine operation, because the main memory (RAM) does not always provide the speed of writing, searching and reading information necessary for the efficient operation of a high-speed microprocessor. Registers are high-speed memory cells of various lengths (in contrast to OP cells, which have a standard length of 1 byte and lower speed);
microprocessor interface system - implements pairing and communication with other PC devices; includes an internal MP interface, buffer storage registers and control circuits for input/output ports (I/O) and the system bus. Interface is a set of means for pairing and communicating computer devices, ensuring their effective interaction. Input/Output port (I/O - Input/Output port) - interface equipment that allows you to connect another PC device to the microprocessor.

Clock generator

It generates a sequence of electrical impulses; the frequency of the generated pulses determines the clock frequency of the machine. The time interval between adjacent pulses determines the time of one cycle of machine operation or simply the cycle of machine operation.

The frequency of the clock pulse generator is one of the main characteristics of a personal computer and largely determines the speed of its operation, because each operation in the machine is performed in a certain number of clock cycles.

Microprocessor

This is the main interface system of a computer, ensuring the pairing and communication of all its devices with each other. The system bus includes:

code data bus (CDB), containing wires and interfacing circuits for parallel transmission of all bits of the numeric code (machine word) of the operand;
address code bus (ACBA), which includes wires and interface circuits for parallel transmission of all bits of the address code of a main memory cell or input-output port of an external device;
code instruction bus (IBC), containing wires and interface circuits for transmitting instructions (control signals, pulses) to all blocks of the machine;
a power bus that has wires and interface circuits for connecting PC units to the power supply system.

The system bus provides three directions of information transfer:

between the microprocessor and main memory;
between the microprocessor and the input/output ports of external devices;
between the main memory and the I/O ports of external devices (in direct memory access mode).

Not blocks, or rather their input-output ports, are connected to the bus uniformly through the corresponding unified connectors (joints): Directly or through controllers (adapters). The system bus is controlled by the microprocessor either directly or, more often, through an additional microcircuit - bus controller, generating the main control signals.