Transcript History †Microprocessor †Properties †Future †Sources

CPU
Central processing unit
INTRODUCTION
CPU is a circuit able to execute computer programs, orders and
Commands. These commands involve software programs and
Instructions for the computer.
Table of contents
†History
†Microprocessor
†Properties
†Future
†Sources
HISTORY
So called CPU and computers have very interesting past. In 1970s
There were monstrous computers taking up the whole rooms and one
CPU was as big as refrigerator, full of wires, circuits and transistors.
It was a huge bunch of equipment and thoughts of having CPU as big
As microchip of size of your nail were crazy.
In the 40’s mathematicians like John Von Neumann and more came up with
The concept of stored instruction computer. Before then computers were
Programmed by rewriting their circuits but by having memory, computers
Were able to “remember” various sets of instructions to be repeatedly used
In various occasions. The component that fetches the data and instructions
In the form of data processing and calculation is called the CPU.
Microprocessor
In early 1970’s one company was ordered to create a CPU for special
Calculators, however this time it was created in the form of small microchip.
This production was extremely expensive and so replaced by flexible 4004
Microprocessor creation. The company that started this revolution is Intel,
Now one of the most influential companies in the world.
Although the arrival of new style processor was amazing, its “power”
Was not that great. The first 4004’s were handling data in packs of 4-bits.
This gives you 16 possible numbers, enough only for standard calculations.
This was not enough to find and execute more complicated programs
Written in the computer. Now days we know 32-bit processors or even
64-bit ones from the AMD company, which is catching up on Intel.
Properties
With various processors we have various properties, so lets talk about
The most common and the most important ones. They are GHz, bits and
Cache.
CACHE: extremely fast memory built in the CPU and it uses the cache to
Store instructions required to repeatedly run programs improving overall
Computer speed.
GHz: in computers this refers to a clock speed of a CPU. The faster the clock
Can tick, the faster is the computer.
BIT: smallest unit of data in computer, having single binary value of 0 or 1.
FUTURE
Computers are still being improved, and I believe that sooner or later
They will start improving themselves, anyway, from old 4-bit computers
We now have 64-bit ones with around half a GB cache and QUAD processor
Units reaching standard of 8GHz speed, and that’s hella fast! Who knows what
Will come next, but it’s going to be awesome. Hopefully.
?
SOURCES
http://www.geeks.com/techtips/2005/techtips-NOV22-05.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-cache-memory.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-ghz.htm
http://searchciomidmarket.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid183_gci213816,00.html
Thank you