Date of Award

11-1982

Degree Type

Master's Essay - Restricted

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

First Advisor

Jack Walicki

Abstract

In early computers the instructions such as arithmetic, boolean operations, comparing, looping, and shifting, were all executed by hardware. In other words, each instruction was executed by specific circuits- that is, hardwired control units. The implementation of such a control structure proved to be complex and highly inflexible in modifying the control part. In the early 1950's, Dr. M. V. Wilkes observed the need for a flexible and systematic way of designing control circuits. The method he proposed is called microprogramming. However, it was not until the mid-1960's, with its appearance in some models of the IBM 360 series, that the use of microprogramming technique became- a significant trend in designing modern computers.

Share

COinS