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Most of the first [[microprocessor]]s during the early 1970s had 4-bit [[word]] sizes. Both the Intel {{intel|4004}}, the first commercial microprocessor, and the {{intel|4040}} had a 4-bit word length, but had {{arch|8}} instructions. Some of the first [[microcontroller]]s such as the {{ti|TMS1000}} made by [[Texas Instruments]] and NEC's {{nec|μPD751}} also had 4-bit words. 4-bit word were proven to be very limiting and by 1974 there was a shift to larger architectures such as {{arch|8|8-}} and {{arch|12|12-}} bit architectures.
 
Most of the first [[microprocessor]]s during the early 1970s had 4-bit [[word]] sizes. Both the Intel {{intel|4004}}, the first commercial microprocessor, and the {{intel|4040}} had a 4-bit word length, but had {{arch|8}} instructions. Some of the first [[microcontroller]]s such as the {{ti|TMS1000}} made by [[Texas Instruments]] and NEC's {{nec|μPD751}} also had 4-bit words. 4-bit word were proven to be very limiting and by 1974 there was a shift to larger architectures such as {{arch|8|8-}} and {{arch|12|12-}} bit architectures.
  
In the [[microcontroller]] domain, the story is a little different. 4-bit microcontrollers found their way into many battery-powered and low power instruments and devices.  Some 4-bit chips such as the {{atmel|MARC4|Atmel MARC4}} continued to be manufactured until very recently (2010s), those devices aimed directly at wireless devices such as RFID-related applications. Other 4-bit MCUs are still made to date such as the [[Epson]]'s {{epson|S1C60}} and {{epson|S1C63}} MCU [[microprocessor family|families]]. Modern 4-bit microprocessors, however, are much different to the first generation microprocessors of the 1970s - in terms of architecture, performance, and overall capabilities.
+
In the [[microcontroller]] domain, the story is a little different. 4-bit microcontrollers found their way into many battery-powered and low power instruments and devices.  Some 4-bit chips such as the {{atmel|MARC4|Atmel MARC4}} continued to be manufactured until very recently (2010s), those devices aimed directly at wireless devices such as RFID-related applications. Other 4-bit MCUs are still made to date such as the [[Epson]]'s {{epson|S1C60}} and {{epson|S1C63}} MCU [[microprocessor family|families]]. Modern 4-bit microprocessors, however, are much different from the first generation microprocessors of the 1970s - in terms of architecture, performance, and overall capabilities.
  
 
== Applications ==
 
== Applications ==
Most of the early 4-bit [[microprocessor]]s were used almost exclusively in calculators and toys, later on for various utilities, video games, controllers, and early computers. 4 bits was a logical choice for many calculators that used [[binary coded decimal|BDC]] numbers representation.
+
Most of the early 4-bit [[microprocessor]]s were used almost exclusively in calculators and toys, later on for various utilities, video games,  
 +
:controllers, and early computers. 4 bits was a logical choice for many calculators that used [[binary coded decimal|BDC]] numbers representation.
  
Today, 4-bit chips such as {{epson|S1C60|S1C60 family}} are still manufactured are used in many low-power devices, wireless tools, and [[internet of things]]. Until recently Atmel's {{atmel|MARC4}} was also a large player in the low-power RF/IR wireless market.
+
Today, 4-bit chips such as {{epson|S1C60|S1C60 family}} are still manufactured are used in many low-power devices, wireless tools, and [[internet of things]].  
 +
:Until recently Atmel's {{atmel|MARC4}} was also a large player in the low-power RF/IR wireless market.
  
 
== 4-bit microprocessors ==
 
== 4-bit microprocessors ==
 +
{| border="0" cellpadding="5" width="75%"
 +
|-
 +
|width="25%" valign="top" align="left"|
 
* {{amd|Am2900|AMD Am2900}}
 
* {{amd|Am2900|AMD Am2900}}
 
* {{ami|9209|AMI 9209}}
 
* {{ami|9209|AMI 9209}}
 
* {{fairchild|4700|Fairchild 4700}}
 
* {{fairchild|4700|Fairchild 4700}}
 
* {{fairchild|9400|Fairchild 9400}}
 
* {{fairchild|9400|Fairchild 9400}}
* {{fairchild|PPS-25|Fairchild PPS-25}}
+
* {{fairchild|PPS-25|Fairchild PPS-25}} <!--
* [[HP Saturn]] (64-bit register, 4-bit data path)
+
* [[HP Saturn]] (64-bit register, 4-bit data path) -->
 +
|width="25%" valign="top" align="left"|
 
* {{intel|4004|Intel 4004}} ({{hitachi|hmcs-4/hd35404|HD35404}})
 
* {{intel|4004|Intel 4004}} ({{hitachi|hmcs-4/hd35404|HD35404}})
 
* {{intel|4040|Intel 4040}}
 
* {{intel|4040|Intel 4040}}
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* {{national|IMP-4|National IMP-4}}
 
* {{national|IMP-4|National IMP-4}}
 
* {{rockwell|PPS-4|Rockwell PPS-4}}
 
* {{rockwell|PPS-4|Rockwell PPS-4}}
 +
|}
  
 
== 4-bit microcontrollers ==
 
== 4-bit microcontrollers ==
 +
{| border="0" cellpadding="2" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
|width="20%" valign="top" align="left"|
 
* {{atmel|MARC4|Atmel MARC4}}
 
* {{atmel|MARC4|Atmel MARC4}}
 
* {{ami|S2000|AMI S2000}}
 
* {{ami|S2000|AMI S2000}}
 
* {{epson|S1C60|Epson S1C60}}
 
* {{epson|S1C60|Epson S1C60}}
 
* {{epson|S1C63|Epson S1C63}}
 
* {{epson|S1C63|Epson S1C63}}
* {{fujitsu|MB88200|Fujitsu MB88200}}
+
* [[Fujitsu]] • {{fujitsu|MB88200|MB88200}}
 
* {{fujitsu|MB8840|Fujitsu MB8840}}/{{fujitsu|MB88400|400}}
 
* {{fujitsu|MB8840|Fujitsu MB8840}}/{{fujitsu|MB88400|400}}
 
* {{fujitsu|MB8850|Fujitsu MB8850}}/{{fujitsu|MB88500|500}}
 
* {{fujitsu|MB8850|Fujitsu MB8850}}/{{fujitsu|MB88500|500}}
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* {{hitachi|HMCS40|Hitachi HMCS40}}
 
* {{hitachi|HMCS40|Hitachi HMCS40}}
 
* {{hitachi|HMCS400|Hitachi HMCS400}}
 
* {{hitachi|HMCS400|Hitachi HMCS400}}
* {{itt|7150|ITT 7150}}
+
|width="20%" valign="top" align="left"|
* {{national|MAPS|National MAPS}}
 
* {{national|COPS I|National COPS I}}
 
* {{national|COPS II|National COPS II}}
 
* {{nec|17K|NEC 17K}}
 
* {{nec|μCOM-4|NEC μCOM-4}}
 
* {{nec|μPD751|NEC μPD751}}
 
* {{nec|μPD707|NEC μPD707}}
 
 
* {{matsushita|MN1400|Matsushita MN1400}}
 
* {{matsushita|MN1400|Matsushita MN1400}}
 
* {{matsushita|MN1500|Matsushita MN1500}}
 
* {{matsushita|MN1500|Matsushita MN1500}}
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* {{mitsu|M5090|Mitsubishi M5090}}
 
* {{mitsu|M5090|Mitsubishi M5090}}
 
* {{mmi|5700|MMI 5700}}
 
* {{mmi|5700|MMI 5700}}
* {{oki|OLMS-40|OKI OLMS-40}}
+
* {{itt|7150|ITT 7150}}
* {{oki|OLMS-50|OKI OLMS-50}}
+
|width="20%" valign="top" align="left"|
* {{oki|OLMS-60|OKI OLMS-60}}
+
* {{national|MAPS|National MAPS}}
* {{oki|OLMS-64|OKI OLMS-64}}
+
* {{national|COPS I|National COPS I}}
* {{oki|OLMS-65|OKI OLMS-65}}
+
* {{national|COPS II|National COPS II}}
 +
* [[NEC]] • {{nec|17K|NEC 17K}}
 +
* {{nec|μCOM-4|NEC μCOM-4}}
 +
* {{nec|μPD751|NEC μPD751}}
 +
* {{nec|μPD707|NEC μPD707}}
 +
* {{nec|μPD7500|NEC μPD7500}}
 +
* {{nec|μPD75000|NEC μPD75000}}
 +
|width="20%" valign="top" align="left"|
 +
* {{oki|OLMS-40|OKI OLMS-40}}/{{oki|OLMS-50|50}}/{{oki|OLMS-60|60}}/{{oki|OLMS-64|64}}/{{oki|OLMS-65|65}}
 
* {{oki|OLMS-63K|OKI OLMS-63K}}
 
* {{oki|OLMS-63K|OKI OLMS-63K}}
 
* {{oki|OLMS-64K|OKI OLMS-64K}}
 
* {{oki|OLMS-64K|OKI OLMS-64K}}
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* [[Sanyo LM64xx]]
 
* [[Sanyo LM64xx]]
 
* {{sharp|SM|Sharp SM}}
 
* {{sharp|SM|Sharp SM}}
* [[Sony SPC500]]
+
* [[Sony]] • [[Sony SPC500]]
* {{ti|TMS1000|TI TMS1000}}
+
* {{bell|BELLMAC-4|Bell Labs BELLMAC-4}}
 +
|width="20%" valign="top" align="left"|
 +
* [[TI]] • {{ti|TMS1000|TI TMS1000}}
 
* {{toshiba|T3400|Toshiba T3400}}
 
* {{toshiba|T3400|Toshiba T3400}}
 
* {{toshiba|TLCS-42|Toshiba TLCS-42}}
 
* {{toshiba|TLCS-42|Toshiba TLCS-42}}
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* {{toshiba|TLCS-47|Toshiba TLCS-47}}
 
* {{toshiba|TLCS-47|Toshiba TLCS-47}}
 
* {{toshiba|TLCS-470|Toshiba TLCS-470}}
 
* {{toshiba|TLCS-470|Toshiba TLCS-470}}
* {{wd|CR1872 series|WD CR1872}}
+
* [[Western Digital|WD]] • {{wd|CR1872 series|CR1872}}
* {{wd|WD4200|WD WD4200}}
+
* {{wd|WD4200|WD WD4200}}
 +
|}
  
 
[[Category:4-bit microprocessors]]
 
[[Category:4-bit microprocessors]]

Latest revision as of 17:53, 29 April 2025

Architecture word sizes
v · d · e

The 4-bit architecture is a microprocessor or computer architecture that has a datapath width or a highest operand width of 4 bits or a nibble. These architectures typically have a matching register file with registers width of 4 bits and 4-8-bit wide addresses.

Industry[edit]

Most of the first microprocessors during the early 1970s had 4-bit word sizes. Both the Intel 4004, the first commercial microprocessor, and the 4040 had a 4-bit word length, but had 8-bit instructions. Some of the first microcontrollers such as the TMS1000 made by Texas Instruments and NEC's μPD751 also had 4-bit words. 4-bit word were proven to be very limiting and by 1974 there was a shift to larger architectures such as 8- and 12- bit architectures.

In the microcontroller domain, the story is a little different. 4-bit microcontrollers found their way into many battery-powered and low power instruments and devices. Some 4-bit chips such as the Atmel MARC4 continued to be manufactured until very recently (2010s), those devices aimed directly at wireless devices such as RFID-related applications. Other 4-bit MCUs are still made to date such as the Epson's S1C60 and S1C63 MCU families. Modern 4-bit microprocessors, however, are much different from the first generation microprocessors of the 1970s - in terms of architecture, performance, and overall capabilities.

Applications[edit]

Most of the early 4-bit microprocessors were used almost exclusively in calculators and toys, later on for various utilities, video games,

controllers, and early computers. 4 bits was a logical choice for many calculators that used BDC numbers representation.

Today, 4-bit chips such as S1C60 family are still manufactured are used in many low-power devices, wireless tools, and internet of things.

Until recently Atmel's MARC4 was also a large player in the low-power RF/IR wireless market.

4-bit microprocessors[edit]

4-bit microcontrollers[edit]