Computer Architecture and Design Notes

Table of Contents

Overview
- Hierarchy of abstractions

Overview

Hierarchy of abstractions

Instruction Set Architecture (ISA)
- Programmer/compiler's view
- Visible to the programmer
- Opcodes, architectural registers
Micro-architecture
- Process designer's view
- Implements ISA
- Pipe-lining, functional units, caches, registers
- Computer arithmetic, memory systems, busses
- HDLs
Circuits
- Circuit/Chip designer's view
- Gates, cells, CMOS processes, packaging