Exam 1: Computer Systems Overview

Digital Signal Processors deal with streaming signals such as audio and video.

Interrupts are provided primarily as a way to improve processor utilization.

Small, fast memory located between the processor and main memory is called:

The fetched instruction is loaded into the Program Counter.

Each location in Main Memory contains a _________ value that can be interpreted as either an instruction or data.

Cache memory is invisible to the OS.

The __________ holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched.

To satisfy the requirements of handheld devices, the classic microprocessor is giving way to the _________ , where not just the CPUs and caches are on the same chip, but also many of the other components of the system, such as DSPs, GPUs, I/O devices and main memory.

The ___________ routine determines the nature of the interrupt and performs whatever actions are needed.

The processing required for a single instruction is called a(n) __________ cycle.

In a uniprocessor system, multiprogramming increases processor efficiency by:

The processor controls the operation of the computer and performs its data processing functions.

The unit of data exchanged between cache and main memory is __________ .

In a _________ multiprocessor all processors can perform the same functions so the failure of a single processor does not halt the machine.

The operating system acts as an interface between the computer hardware and the human user.

When a new block of data is read into the cache the __________ determines which cache location the block will occupy.

Instruction processing consists of two steps:

Over the years memory access speed has consistently increased more rapidly than processor speed.

When an external device becomes ready to be serviced by the processor the device sends a(n) _________ signal to the processor.

In a two-level memory hierarchy the Hit Ratio is defined as the fraction of all memory accesses found in the slower memory.