The timing and control unit of the Intel 8085 microprocessor is responsible for generating the necessary control signals and coordinating the timing of different operations within the microprocessor.
- It ensures that the various components of the microprocessor work together in a synchronized manner during the execution of machine cycles.
- The key functions of the timing and control unit include managing the timing of memory and I/O operations, coordinating instruction execution, and generating control signals for different parts of the microprocessor.
Here are the main components and functions associated with the timing and control unit of the Intel 8085 microprocessor:
‣ Clock generator:
- The timing and control unit generates clock signals to synchronize the operations of the microprocessor.
- The clock frequency is crucial for determining the speed at which the microprocessor processes instructions.
‣ System Clock:
- The system clock is applied to the CLK pin of the microprocessor.
- The clock signal determines the rate at which the microprocessor fetches and executes instructions.
‣ Machine Cycle:
- The timing and control unit divides the execution of instructions into machine cycles, each consisting of a specific set of operations.
- Common machine cycles include instruction fetch, memory read, memory write, I/O read, and I/O write cycles.
‣ Instruction Cycle:
- The instruction cycle is the time taken to fetch and execute one machine instruction.
- It is divided into machine cycles, including opcode fetch, operand fetch, and execution.
‣ Control Signals:
- The timing and control unit generates various control signals that coordinate the actions of different components.
- Examples of control signals include RD (Read), WR (Write), IO/M (Input/Output and Memory), ALE (Address Latch Enable), and others.
‣ Address Latch Enable:
- ALE is a signal generated by the timing and control unit.
- It is used to latch the lower-order address bits (A0-A7) onto the external address bus during the first clock cycle of the machine cycle.
‣ Memory and I/O Control Signals (MREQ, IORQ, RD, WR):
- MREQ (Memory Request) and IORQ (Input/Output Request) indicate whether the operation involves memory or I/O.
- RD (Read) and WR (Write) signals indicate whether a read or write operation is being performed.
‣ Status Signals (S0, S1, S2):
- Status signals are generated to indicate the stage of the machine cycle being executed.
- These signals help in decoding instructions and coordinating the flow of data.
‣ READY Input:
- The timing and control unit monitors the READY input.
- It indicates whether external devices are ready to respond to a request from the microprocessor.
‣ Interrupts Control Signal:
- The timing and control unit manages interrupt-related signals.
- INTR (Interrupt Request) is a signal from external devices, and INTA (Interrupt Acknowledge) is the microprocessor’s acknowledgment.
