DATA PATH - material

DATA-PATH
> Data path is used to transport the data to/from the processor.
> It can be 8,16,32,64 bits wide, wider data path will allow more data transported in less

time than narrow data path

> The datapath is collection of state elements, combinational elements and interconnections

that are together provide channel for the flow and transformation of data in the processor

during the execution.

> Datapath are the functional blocks within a microprocessor that actually interact to perform

computational operations.

> These tasks include reading/writing to memory, arithmetic, logic operations, and numerical

shift operations
State element: § A memory element, i.e., it contains a state §
E.g., program counter, instruction memory §
Combinational element: § Elements that operate on values §

E. g., adder ALU

Note:- Following Points are Just for Understanding not for Explanation
Functional blocks of a datapath
> In computer processors, the datapath often consists of the following functional blocks, or

some variation thereof:

> The instruction register stores the current instruction to be executed.
> The program counter (PC) stores the address of the next instruction to be fetched.
> The memory address register (MAR) is a register that either stores the memory address

from which data will be fetched to the CPU or the address to which data will be sent and

stored.

> The memory data register (MDR) is a register of a computer's control unit that contains the

data to be stored in the computer storage (e. g. RAM), or the data after a fetch from the

computer storage.