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{{title|Microprocessor (MPU)}} | {{title|Microprocessor (MPU)}} | ||
[[File:KL MF8008.jpg|right|350px]] | [[File:KL MF8008.jpg|right|350px]] | ||
− | A '''microprocessor''' ('''µP''') or a '''Microprocessing Unit''' ('''MPU''') is a device that implements the core elements of a computer system on a single [[integrated circuit]], or as a few integrated circuits operating as a cohesive unit | + | A '''microprocessor''' ('''µP''') or a '''Microprocessing Unit''' ('''MPU''') is a device that implements the core elements of a computer system on a single [[integrated circuit]], or as a few integrated circuits operating as a cohesive unit. |
Modern microprocessors typically incorporate the functionality of a [[clock generator|clock]], [[central processing unit]] (CPU), [[arithmetic logic unit]] (ALU), [[floating point unit]] (FPU), [[control unit]] (CU), [[memory management unit]] (MMU), [[interrupt handler|interrupts]], [[input/output]] interfaces, and [[cache]]. Specialized microprocessor may also serve as [[graphical processing unit]]s (GPUs), [[digital signal processor|signal processing units]] (DSPs), [[neural processing unit]] (NPUs), [[microcontroller]]s, etc. | Modern microprocessors typically incorporate the functionality of a [[clock generator|clock]], [[central processing unit]] (CPU), [[arithmetic logic unit]] (ALU), [[floating point unit]] (FPU), [[control unit]] (CU), [[memory management unit]] (MMU), [[interrupt handler|interrupts]], [[input/output]] interfaces, and [[cache]]. Specialized microprocessor may also serve as [[graphical processing unit]]s (GPUs), [[digital signal processor|signal processing units]] (DSPs), [[neural processing unit]] (NPUs), [[microcontroller]]s, etc. | ||
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{{main|history of the microprocessor}} | {{main|history of the microprocessor}} | ||
{{empty section}} | {{empty section}} | ||
− | == | + | == Functionality== |
[[File:IPO (input-process-output).svg|400px|right]] | [[File:IPO (input-process-output).svg|400px|right]] | ||
− | + | In the broadest sense, the basic functionality of a microprocessor is to continuously read in digital data consisting of instructions and possibly values; execute them by interpreting the instructions and performing a certain operation on the values; and finally outputs a result. | |
− | While the basic functionality is shared among all microprocessors, they vary greatly in the type and size of data they handle, the kind of operations they support, how they perform those operations, their intended purpose, and their performance characteristics | + | While the basic functionality is shared among all microprocessors, they vary greatly in the type and size of data they handle, the kind of operations they support, how they perform those operations, their intended purpose, and their performance characteristics. |
== Variants == | == Variants == | ||
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* '''[[floating point unit]]''' ('''FPU''') - is a math microprocessor (or [[coprocessor]]) - a microprocessor that specializes in the creation and manipulation of [[floating point]] values. | * '''[[floating point unit]]''' ('''FPU''') - is a math microprocessor (or [[coprocessor]]) - a microprocessor that specializes in the creation and manipulation of [[floating point]] values. | ||
* '''[[graphics processing unit]]''' ('''GPU''') - is a graphics microprocessor - a microprocessor that specializes in the creation and manipulation of images through a set of optimized geometric operations. Modern graphic microprocessors tend to be highly parallelized, allowing large blocks of visual data to be processed efficiently. | * '''[[graphics processing unit]]''' ('''GPU''') - is a graphics microprocessor - a microprocessor that specializes in the creation and manipulation of images through a set of optimized geometric operations. Modern graphic microprocessors tend to be highly parallelized, allowing large blocks of visual data to be processed efficiently. | ||
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* '''[[physics processing unit]]''' ('''PPU''') - a microprocessor that specializes in handling the calculations of physics. This includes things such as fluid dynamics and collision detection. | * '''[[physics processing unit]]''' ('''PPU''') - a microprocessor that specializes in handling the calculations of physics. This includes things such as fluid dynamics and collision detection. | ||
* '''[[neural processing unit]]''' ('''NPU''') - is a neural microprocessor - a microprocessor that specializes in the manipulations of [[predictive models]]. | * '''[[neural processing unit]]''' ('''NPU''') - is a neural microprocessor - a microprocessor that specializes in the manipulations of [[predictive models]]. | ||
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The technical specifications of microprocessors are derived from the [[microarchitecture]] of the incorporated [[central processing unit|CPU]], the [[semiconductor]] technology involved, and the properties of the overall system. Some common specifications are summarized below: | The technical specifications of microprocessors are derived from the [[microarchitecture]] of the incorporated [[central processing unit|CPU]], the [[semiconductor]] technology involved, and the properties of the overall system. Some common specifications are summarized below: | ||
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* '''[[logic family|technology]]''' - the semiconductor technology used to create the MPU (e.g. [[CMOS]], [[BiCMOS]], and [[TTL]]) | * '''[[logic family|technology]]''' - the semiconductor technology used to create the MPU (e.g. [[CMOS]], [[BiCMOS]], and [[TTL]]) | ||
* '''[[semiconductor manufacturing process|process]]''' - the process used to manufacture the MPU - i.e the [[feature size]] and design rules. The feature size on its own (e.g. [[10 µm]]) is usually taken as a synonym for the process. | * '''[[semiconductor manufacturing process|process]]''' - the process used to manufacture the MPU - i.e the [[feature size]] and design rules. The feature size on its own (e.g. [[10 µm]]) is usually taken as a synonym for the process. | ||
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* '''[[core count]]''' - the number of [[physical cores]] incorporated into the chip. | * '''[[core count]]''' - the number of [[physical cores]] incorporated into the chip. | ||
* '''[[endianness]]''' - the order of the bytes the microprocessor uses when operating on multi-byte values. | * '''[[endianness]]''' - the order of the bytes the microprocessor uses when operating on multi-byte values. | ||
− | * '''[[ | + | * '''[[base frequency]]''' - the internal operating frequency of CPU's core. It's one of many parameters that are used to assess the performance of a microprocessor. |
* '''[[package]]''' - the physical casing of the microprocessor. This most often goes along with a [[socket]], which is the interconnects that sits on the circuit board itself where the package is inserted into. | * '''[[package]]''' - the physical casing of the microprocessor. This most often goes along with a [[socket]], which is the interconnects that sits on the circuit board itself where the package is inserted into. | ||
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* [[List of processor families]] | * [[List of processor families]] | ||
+ | == References == | ||
+ | {{reflist|30em}} | ||
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+ | {{Stub}} | ||
[[Category:integrated circuits]] | [[Category:integrated circuits]] | ||
[[Category:microprocessors]] | [[Category:microprocessors]] |