Data Path Design

ALU/DATA PATH
Data path and Control
DATAPATH
implements fetch-
decode-execute
Functional Units to build datapath design
Abstract/Simplified view of datapath
design
Stages of Datapath

• Instruction Fetch
• Instruction Decode
• ALU(execution)
• Memory Access
• Register write
Instruction Fetch
• the 32-bit instruction word must first be fetched from memory (the
cache-memory hierarchy)
• also, this is where we Increment PC (that is, PC = PC + 4, to point to
the next instruction: byte addressing so + 4)
• A memory unit to store instructions of a program and supply
instructions given an address.
• Needs to provide only read access (once the program is loaded).
• PC (Program Counter or Instruction address register) is a register that
holds the address of the current instruction.
• Adder to increment the PC to the address of the next instruction
• An ALU permanently wired to do only addition. No extra control
signal required
Data Portion for Instruction Fetch

PC=PC+4
Instruction Decode
• gather data from the fields (decode all necessary)
Set of Instruction Formats
ALU(Algorithmic Logic Unit)
• the real work of most instructions is done here
• is connected to storage elements (registers for holding data to be
processed and the results of the processing) by data buses.
• is normally composed of single element (one-bit) processors
(primarily adders), which are assembled together to form a 32-bit
processor
• In the MIPS CPU, all arguments in the process are stored in registers.
• This requires two buses to route data to the ALU.
• All registers are tied to both output buses.
• A single input bus carries results back to all 32 registers.
Memory Access
• only the load and store instructions do anything during this stage; the
others remain idle during this stage or skip it all together
Register Write
• most instructions write the result of some computation into a
register
Branch Datapath
• the program counter gets an entirely new address (new address =
[PC] + 16-bit immediate from instruction [± 32,768])
• Not only do we need an add function, but also a left shift 2 places
(since memory is addressed as bytes, but the 16-bit immediate in the
branch instruction is a word address).
Jump ALU Path
• A jump instruction unconditionally transfers program control to a
new location in the program.
• The ALU must therefore use the 26-bit immediate address in the
instruction to create a new PC address.
• This is done by (1) shifting left 2 (to create a proper 28-bit byte
address), and (2) adding the upper four PC bits to complete the new
32-bit address.
• This new address is then loaded into the program counter as the
address of the next instruction to be executed.
Jump ALU Path
Generic Steps of Datapath
Microprocessor
Signals