Computer System Low- Level Techniques

CT073-3-2

Little Man Computer

 Topic & Structure of The Lesson

• Comparison between Little Man

Computer Components With Original
Computer Components.
• Introduction to Assembly language
programming (Little Man Computer
programs).

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 Learning Outcomes

• At the end of this session you should be

able to
– Compare the LMC components with
Computer Components.
– Write LMC programs.
– Understand the internal operations of the
Computer.

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 Key Terms You Must Be Able To
Use
• If you have mastered this topic, you should be able to use the following
terms correctly in your assignments and exams:

– Instruction cycle
– Mnemonics
– Opcode
– Linear memory addressing
– Little Man Computer
– Von Neumann architecture

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 The Little Man Computer

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 The Little Man Computer
1. Walled Mailroom
2. Mailboxes - 100
i. address in the range [ 00 - 99 ]
ii. content - slip of paper with a three-digit
number
3. Calculator
i. accumulator (temporary storage of result)
ii. addition and subtraction (2s Complement)

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 The Little Man Computer
4. Hand-Counter (2-digit)
i. can increment by clicking
ii. reset located outside the mailroom
5. Little Man
6. In-basket
i. Communicating with outside world (three-
digit decimal number)
7. Out-basket

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 The Little Man Computer

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 Typical Instruction of the LMC

OPCODE OPERAND OR ADDRESS

1 decimal digit 2 decimal digits

OPCODE => OPeration CODE

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 Types of Instructions of the LMC

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 Types of Instructions of the LMC

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 Types of Instructions of the LMC

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 Types of Instructions of the LMC

Opcod Instructio
Description
e n
The LM goes to the in basket
INPUT and reads the 3-digit number on
9 With address slip of paper and goes over to
01 the calculator and enters it.
(Accumulator)
The LM goes over to the
OUTPUT calculator and takes the 3-digit
9 With address number, puts it on a slip of
02 paper and places it in the out
basket.
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 Program to add two numbers

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 Little Man Mnemonic Instruction
Codes

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 LMC PROGRAM WHAT’S
HAPPENING HERE?

CT073-2-3 and CSLLT LMC

 LMC
.

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 Actual Computer

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 The Instruction Cycle of the LMC

• FETCH PHASE
• DECODE PHASE
• EXECUTE PHASE

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 The FETCH Phase
Step1: Use the value of hand counter (HC) to refer to Mailbox

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 The FETCH Phase
Step2: Approach the Mailbox with the hand counter (HC)
address

CT073-2-3 and CSLLT LMC

 The DECODE Phase
Step3: Read the Instruction from Mailbox (and decode)

CT073-2-3 and CSLLT LMC

 The DECODE Phase
Step4:Use address in Instruction to refer Mailbox
(data)

CT073-2-3 and CSLLT LMC

 The DECODE Phase
Step5: Read the data from Mailbox

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 The EXECUTE Phase
Step6: Puts contents into the Calculator

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 The EXECUTE Phase
Step7: Increment the hand counter (HC) to point to next Instruction

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 Von Neumann Architecture

• Between 1945 and 1951 Von Neumann

set down a series of guidelines that is
known as the Von Neumann
Architecture for Computers.
• It is significant in the sense that despite
massive technological changes
occurring almost overnight, the
architecture of Computers is virtually
unchanged since 1951.
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 Von Neumann Architecture -
Guidelines
• Stored Program Concept
– Memory holds both program instructions as well
as data.
• Linear addressing
– Memory is addressed linearly which means there
is a single sequential numeric address for each
and every memory location.
• Independence of data and address
– Memory is addressed by the location number
without regard to the data contained within.

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 Von Neumann Architecture -
Guidelines
• Sequential processing of instructions
– All instructions of the program are
processed in sequence and the current
instruction being executed is decided by
the program counter.
• Functional Computer organisation
– Comprises of the Control Unit, Arithmetic
and Logic Unit and Registers, together
known as the Central Processing Unit or
CPU.
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 Quick Review Question

1. Write an LMC program to produce the

sum of three input values.
2. Write an LMC program that able to
calculate the perimeter of a rectangle,
based on two input values.

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 Follow Up Assignment

• Discuss the internal operations of a

computer using the Little Man Computer
Operations.

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 Summary of Main Teaching Points
.

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 Question and Answer Session

Q&A

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 What we will cover next

• Tutorial
– Writing LMC programs.

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