The Birth, Evolution and Future of Microprocessor Swetha Kogatam Computer Science Department San Jose State University San Jose, CA 95192 408-924-1000
[email protected] ABSTRACT timed sequence through the bus system to output devices such as The world's first microprocessor, the 4004, was co-developed by CRT Screens, networks, or printers. In some cases, the terms Busicom, a Japanese manufacturer of calculators, and Intel, a U.S. 'CPU' and 'microprocessor' are used interchangeably to denote the manufacturer of semiconductors. The basic architecture of 4004 same device. was developed in August 1969; a concrete plan for the 4004 The different ways in which microprocessors are categorized are: system was finalized in December 1969; and the first microprocessor was successfully developed in March 1971. a) CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computers) Microprocessors, which became the "technology to open up a new b) RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computers) era," brought two outstanding impacts, "power of intelligence" and "power of computing". First, microprocessors opened up a new a) VLIW(Very Long Instruction Word Computers) "era of programming" through replacing with software, the b) Super scalar processors hardwired logic based on IC's of the former "era of logic". At the same time, microprocessors allowed young engineers access to "power of computing" for the creative development of personal 2. BIRTH OF THE MICROPROCESSOR computers and computer games, which in turn led to growth in the In 1970, Intel introduced the first dynamic RAM, which increased software industry, and paved the way to the development of high- IC memory by a factor of four.