Microprogrammed Systems
An Introduction to Firmware Theory
Published on 23. July 1992
Book
Paperback/Softback
368 pages
978-0-412-40800-7 (ISBN)
Description
The aim of Professor Mange in writing this book is to show how a bridge can be built between computer hardware and software using the concept of firmware. Central to the author's approach is the idea of equivalence between hardwired logic systems (hardware) and microprograms (software). This equivalence is demonstrated by the use of the binary decision tree. Both hardware and software are represented mathematically by algorithms. Any combinational algorithm can be represented by such a tree, and the tree can be implemented in hardware or in software terms. This book should be of interest to students, teachers, researchers and practitioners, whether they are approaching the subject of firmware from a hardware or software background.
The aim of Professor Mange in writing this book is to show how a bridge can be built between computer hardware and software using the concept of firmware. Central to the author's approach is the idea of equivalence between hardwired logic systems (hardware) and microprograms (software). This equivalence is demonstrated by the use of the binary decision tree. Both hardware and software are represented mathematically by algorithms. Any combinational algorithm can be represented by such a tree, and the tree can be implemented in hardware or in software terms. This book should be of interest to students, teachers, researchers and practitioners, whether they are approaching the subject of firmware from a hardware or software background.
The aim of Professor Mange in writing this book is to show how a bridge can be built between computer hardware and software using the concept of firmware. Central to the author's approach is the idea of equivalence between hardwired logic systems (hardware) and microprograms (software). This equivalence is demonstrated by the use of the binary decision tree. Both hardware and software are represented mathematically by algorithms. Any combinational algorithm can be represented by such a tree, and the tree can be implemented in hardware or in software terms. This book should be of interest to students, teachers, researchers and practitioners, whether they are approaching the subject of firmware from a hardware or software background.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
376 line drawings
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 156 mm
Weight
580 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-412-40800-7 (9780412408007)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Content
Part 1 Logic operators and memories: combinational logic operators; sequential logic operators; Random Access and Read Only memories. Part 2 Binary decision trees and diagrams: analysis and synthesis of binary decision trees; analysis and synthesis of binary decision diagrams; software implementations; hardware implementations. Part 3 Sub-programs and procedures: linear flowchart; sub-programs and decision trees; procedures and stacks; decomposition of counters; decomposition of trees. Part 4 Incremental programs: incrementation; sequencer and interpreter for the language L3. Part 5 Structured programs: structuring programs; structured languages; asynchronous sequential systems; synchronous sequential systems; an application - combinational system. Part 6 Top-down programs: software implementation - successive refinements; hardware implementation - specialized processor. Part 7 Microprogramming a universal processor: universal processing unit; instruction unit; case study - specification for a compiler for the language L3; case study - the microprogram PASCALINE; applications - bootstrapping, auto-compilation, interpretation. Appendices: Simplification of a discrete function; reduction of a discrete function; reduction of a binary decision tree; reduction of a binary decision diagram; number systems; conventions.